Three different players found the back of the net as NJIT defeated New Hampshire, 3-2, on Senior Day Sunday at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium, marking the first time NJIT has won its conference opener since joining the America East since joining the conference in 2020 (7 seasons).
Sunday's win is also the first time NJIT has defeated New Hampshire at home in Newark in the series' history.
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The Highlanders improve to 4-4-1 overall and 1-0-0 in AEast play. New Hampshire is 3-4-2 overall and 0-1-0 in conference play.
Paige Eckert (27'), Alyssa Reiter (29'), and Kirra Hyder (68') scored goals for the Highlanders, who led 2-1 at halftime.
Merle Hueser dished a career-best 2 assists while Reiter and Emery Sterling each added one to set up the Highlanders' three scoring plays.
Eckert and Reiter struck within a 2-minute span in the 1st Half, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead. Eckert battled traffic in the box to finish a ball sent from Reiter. Hueser is also credited with an assist on the play, helping set up Reiter.
The assist was the first career point for Reiter, and two minutes later, the freshman netted her first career goal. Fellow freshman Emery Sterling came down the right flank and played a cross over the Reiter, who one-timed it from just outside the goal area to give NJIT the lead. The assist was also the first career point for Sterling.
With the momentum coming out of halftime, NJIT added what proved to be the difference when Hueser played a ball over to Hyder, who one-timed it from just inside the 18 box to give NJIT a 3-1 advantage in the 68th minute.
New Hampshire made things closer when Amber Clarke scored on an Alyssa Gimmel assist off a corner in the 75th, but the Highlanders did not relent the lead over the final 15 minutes.
New Hampshire opened the scoring in the 19th, when Greta Caulton scored on an assist from Elizabeth Finn.
Kaele Smith made 4 saves over the full 90 minutes in goal for NJIT. New Hampshire fired off 20 (6 on goals) shots to NJIT's 18 (5).
Prior to Sunday's game, NJIT honored the 4 members of this year's graduating class: Merle Hueser, Kennedy Westbrook, Josephine Palmer, and Sydney Burlingame-Grissom. There are a combined 26 Dean's List honors between the four student-athletes.
Up Next
NJIT looks to ride the momentum into Sept. 27, when the Highlanders head north to face UAlbany at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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