The Pirates battled NJIT in a back and forth game that ended in a 3-3 tie after a scoreless overtime period.
The Highlanders struck first through Sergio Pita in the 14’ after Jose Adames dribbled his way into the box and slid the ball across goal to set up Pita for the opener.
However, Seton Hall debutant Johannes Pex scored the equalizer 10 minutes later. Pex was in the right position at the right time, scoring off a rebound from Camil Koreichi’s initial shot from distance that ricocheted off the post.
Pex struck again in the 43’ to give the Pirates their first lead of the game. CJ Tibbling flixked on Raz Amir’s cross to find Pex open in the box, and the German defender placed the ball nicely past the goalie and into the nearside post. With his second goal, Pex was the first Pirate to score multiple goals in his Seton Hall debut since Stephen Elias scored a hat trick against Central Connecticut State in 2019. The Pirates would hold onto their 2-1 lead heading into halftime.
The second half would take a bit longer to land its first blow, but it was the Highlanders who scored the opening goal of the second half to tie things up. Zach Halma picked up the ball from Regsan Watkins outside of the box and fired a long-range shot into the back of net 21 minutes into the second half.
Seton Hall had the opportunity to tie things up in the 72’ after Mattias Sundel won a penalty kick, but Sundel’s penalty shot was denied by NJIT goalie Samuel Reisgys.
Just seven minutes later, the Highlanders took the lead after the Pirates turned over the ball. Rene White scored off a ball from Alejandro Rabell.
It only took the Pirates one minute to equalize, though, through a CJ Tibbling’s first goal of the season. Tibbling scored an incredible solo goal, dribbling through multiple defenders, and then finishing his run with a superb left footed shot.
No goals were scored in 20 minutes of overtime, and the game ended with a score of 3-3.
Pirates managed to take 20 shots, 12 of them being on target, and took a eight corner kicks. The Pirates will look to get their first win of the season in their home opener at Owen T. Carroll Field against La Salle, this Saturday at 3 P.M.
Thomas Cugno can be reached at thomas.cugno@student.shu.edu.
