NJIT and Seton Hall Draw in Season Opener

February 17, 2021

VIDEO: NJIT Postgame & Highlights w/ Coach Barboto

NEWARK, NJ--The NJIT men's soccer team picked up a 3-3 double overtime draw against visiting Seton Hall Wednesday afternoon in non-conference action at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.

Wednesday was the first time the Highlanders had seen the pitch in 454 days due to COVID 19.

"I told the group before the game, we need to be grateful that we have the chance to be out there," head coach Fernando Barboto commented. "It's been a long time (almost 15-16 months) since we have played and coached a game. We were all very excited to get out there, the energy showed on both sides."

Newcomer Sergio Pita got the Highlanders on the board in the 14th minute, his first collegiate goal of his career, assisted by Jose Adames. The play started with Adames dribbling into the box, finding a wide open Pita in the middle as he beat the Seton Hall keeper to the top left.

Seton Hall evened the score in the 24th minute on a goal by Johannes Pex. Pex was able to control a rebound off a Camil Koreichi blast that hit the post before putting away a shot just under the crossbar.

The Pirates went ahead in the 43rd minute on a cross into the box by Raz Amir to CJ Tibbling who flicked the ball to Pex, beating the Highlander keeper to the nearside post for his second goal of the game and giving Seton Hall a 2-1 lead.

Senior Zach Halma scored his first career goal in the 66th minute, knotting the match at 2-2, from just outside the box, putting away the equalizer off an assist from Regsan Watkins.

Seton Hall's Mattias Sundel was awarded a penalty kick in the 72nd minute, which was denied by NJIT's Samuel Reisgys.

NJIT went ahead 3-2 in the 79th minute off a Seton Hall turnover as sophomore Alejandro Rabell stepped in at the top of the box and dished off to Rene White who put away his 35th career goal. White tops the NJIT Division I record books in career goals (35) and points (76).

Seton Hall's CJ Tibbling scored the equalizer 3-3 in the 80th minute dribbling through the Highlander defenders before finishing with a left-footed shot just past the NJIT goalkeeper fingertips.

In the 94th minute, Rabell blasted a shot from the right side off a cross, sailing wide and in the second overtime, Watkins attempted to roll a shot in the 100th minute but just went wide.

Goals
13' - Sergio Pita (1) from Jose Adames
23' - Johannes Pex (1) from Camil Koreichi
42' - Pex (2) from CJ Tibbling, Raz Amir
65' - Zach Halma (1) from Regsan Watkins
'78 - Rene White (1) from Alejandro Rabell
'80 – Tibbling (1)