Box Score Oct. 18, 2016 Box Score
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers men's soccer team ended its four-game homestand on Tuesday night suffering a 4-0 loss to NJIT.
The Highlanders held a 1-0 lead at the half and added in three second half goals.
NJIT (7-4-3) opened scoring in the 29th minute off a restart. As Rickardo Oldham sent the ball to the far side of the field, headers by Jonathan Onyeaka and Rene White set up Victor Kausch at the center of the goal to tap the ball with his right foot high into the net.
Goalkeeper David Greczek, who ended the night with a season-high tying nine saves, kept NJIT at bay early in the second half stopping a pair of Mamadou Guirassy attempts at point blank range, but Guirassy was able to break through in the 67th minute. Jack Flanagan dribbled along the left side of the 18 finding Guirassy near the top to turn and shoot for the 2-0 Highlander edge.
The 72nd minute saw Rutgers (0-11-2) with a chance to get onto the scoreboard as Ryan Peterson found leading scorer Jason Wright ahead of the defense at the top of the box. Just before Wright's shot entered the goal however, the whistle was blown and the Scarlet Knights were called for the offsides. The Highlands added two more goals in the 81st and 88th minute of play.
Just prior to NJIT's third goal, Greczek came out the box to punch the ball away from a surging Diogo Ferreira. As Ferreira collected the loose ball, Greczek ran back the line to make a diving stop. Moments later, though, White pushed the ball back inside the 18 to Andy Alvarez for the Highlanders third goal of the night.
White went on to round out the scoring with less than two minutes remaining with a give and go into the box from Danny Cordeiro.
NJIT held a 15-11 edge in shots, with Wright leading Rutgers with three attempts.
In goal, Victor Pujades logged three stops in the win, while Greczek recorded nine.
"It's been tough with the injuries and the health of players, it all adds up. It's been difficult for all of us, but we need to continue to fight and to move on," said head coach Dan Donigan. "We have pride to play for and every time we step between those white lines, we have to believe we can get the job done."
The Rutgers men's soccer team travels to Penn State on Friday, Oct. 21 to face the Nittany Lions for their final Big Ten contest of the regular season. The Scarlet Knights return home next Tuesday to host Columbia on Senior Night.
KNIGHT NOTES:
- Senior goalkeeper David Greczek tied his season-high with nine stops. He also had nine saves in the double overtime 0-0 draw with No. 5 Indiana on Sept. 12. It also marked his fifth game of the season and 10th game of his career with eight or more stops.
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