Corry's Game-Winner Puts Lacrosse Past Manhattan, NJIT Stays Unbeaten

Published: Saturday, February 24, 2024
NJIT is now 5-0

The Highlanders just keep finding a way to win.

A late goal by Owen Corry with 51 seconds left proved to be the difference as the NJIT men's lacrosse team – playing its third game in seven days – improved to 5-0 with an 11-10 victory over the Manhattan Jaspers Saturday afternoon at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.

HIGHLANDER LEADERS
Arthur Miller and Garrett Muscatella both produced four-point outings on Saturday, with Miller scoring a team-high three goals along with an assist and Muscatella had two goals and two assists. Jesse Roth and Michael Rettberg logged one goal and one assist, and four others netted one goal - Ryan Sininsky, Adyn Cover, Jack Bowie, and crucially, Corry.

Billy Kroeger won 16-of-24 faceoffs and corralled a game-high seven ground balls while Hank Bethel added three ground balls and a game-best three caused turnovers.

Liam Brown finished the game with ten saves, second on the team with five ground balls, and also caused two turnovers. He has now made double digit saves in his last 18 matchups dating back to last season.


1ST QUARTER

  • The game's scoring was opened up by the Highlanders, as Muscatella connected with Miller for the game's first goal (14:06) and Rettberg put away a solo shot to give NJIT a 2-0 lead (3:24).
  • Manhattan (0-4) cut the lead in half before the end of the quarter (1:50) with an unassisted goal.


2ND QUARTER

  • About a third of the way through the quarter, Manhattan leveled the game at 2-2 (9:31) before NJIT went back ahead by two scores, 4-2.
  • Roth had his hands in those two goals, scoring the first from Muscatella (8:59) and setting up Miller on the second (7:55).
  • The Jaspers' Kelly DuPree scored his and Manhattan's third goal to make the score 4-3 at the 6:57 mark but Bowie (5:32) and Sininsky (1:46) would put the Highlanders up by three, 6-3, heading into the locker room.


3RD QUARTER

  • Manhattan pulled to within one, 6-5, after scoring the first two goals of the second half.
  • A 3-0 response by NJIT to close out the quarter - with goals from Muscatella (7:18, 5:17 from Miller) and Miller (1:14) gave the hosts their largest lead of the game, 9-5.


4TH QUARTER

  • Instead of rallying from behind like they have in some of this season's games, the Highlanders had to fend off a feisty Manhattan squad that fought to close the gap throughout the final frame.
  • After exchanging scores (Manhattan at 12:24, Cover from Rettberg at 11:34), the Jaspers put together the longest run of the game for either team - four straight - to tie the contest at 10-10 with 2:04 remaining.
  • The experienced Highlanders locked in and made the plays needed to win. Brown stopped Manhattan's first shot after tying the game (1:19) and Corry gave NJIT the lead for good with a solo strike from the right side.


OTHER NOTES

  • NJIT is the first team in the nation to reach 5-0 on the season and retains possession of the second longest winning streak in the country (six games) behind national champion Notre Dame (seven games), who plays Georgetown on Sunday.
  • The wire-to-wire win was the Highlanders' first since February 1, 2020 when NJIT never trailed in defeating Hampton 24-7 in its first-ever game at the newly opened Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
  • Today's victory was also NJIT's first when leading at the half since March 27, 2021 at UMass Lowell (led 7-4).
  • Four of NJIT's five wins this year (Manhattan, Mount St. Mary's, Siena, St. John's) have been the first-ever for the program against that opponent.
  • In a sign that the program is finally turning the corner after years of hard work: NJIT is 8-10 in its last 18 games and two seasons (all under head coach Eric Wolf) after going 7-97 in the 104 games and eight seasons prior.


NEXT UP
NJIT will return to the road for a matchup at Wagner on Saturday, March 2. First faceoff is set for Noon.