NEWARK, N.J. – Rebecca Tustin put the NJIT Highlanders ahead for good with a sixth-minute goal that turned out to be the game's only score, as the host school defeated the VMI Keydets 1-0 in women's soccer action Friday in Newark, N.J. The setback ended VMI's two-match winning streak.
After a scoreless first 5:37, NJIT's (2-5) Megan Dellavalle played a header inside the box to Tustin, who finished for her first goal of the year. It ended a 180:43 scoreless streak by the VMI (2-4) defense, the team's longest such streak since a run of 215:08 during the 2009 season.
Unfortunately for the Keydets, that 1-0 margin held up, as despite five saves by Keydet goalkeepers, the VMI offense was outshot 9-4. Just one of the Keydet shots was on goal, and NJIT netminder Samantha Bersett was credited with a save on the play. For the fourth time in six games this season, Emily Marbury and Liz Nickerson shared time in goal for the Keydets, with Marbury making two first-half saves and Nickerson stopping three tries in the second half.
The match was not only a defensive struggle, but was also a physical battle as well, with the teams combining for 25 fouls. It was the second time in three games VMI had been involved in a match with at least 25 fouls, as the Keydet/South Carolina State contest Sept. 6 saw 25 such whistles.
The Keydets had an early chance in their first visit to NJIT, with Myranda Emery earning a fourth-minute corner kick. Sydnie Bligh's header off the kick, however, sailed wide to keep the match scoreless. Moments later, the Keydets were whistled for an offside violation and NJIT took advantage, scoring on the counterattack to take a lead it would not relinquish.
The Highlanders had another try in the 14th minute, but Marbury turned aside Kaelyn Gamel. An Emma Manis shot was wide in the 17th minute, and neither team could get off another attempt until the 31st minute, when Marbury made another save. On the counterattack, Blixt was stopped by Bersett on VMI's lone shot on goal, the final try on net in the first half.
Nickerson came on to open the second half and was tested at 49:36, but she was able to stop an Alex Adam try. After the play, the match settled into the midfield, with the next offensive effort coming at 59:18 with an Emery corner that went for naught. Nickerson recorded saves in the 63rd and 82nd minutes to keep it a one-goal deficit, but the Keydets had just one shot recorded in the second half. That was a Bridgette Pouliot try at 64:03 that sailed wide, as NJIT held on for the one-goal victory.
The second half, in fact, saw just five total shots, with NJIT leading that statistic 4-1. Despite being outshot 9-4 on the day, however, the Keydets did hold a 3-0 edge in corner kicks.
VMI women's soccer is back in action Sunday, continuing its swing through the Garden State by playing in Jersey City, N.J. and taking on Saint Peter's. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
