HILLSIDE, N.J. – The Fairfield University Women's Soccer team dropped their first match of the 2018 season as they allowed a season-high four goals to NJIT and fell to the Highlanders by a 4-1 score. Melanie Hingher was the lone Stag to touch the back of the net as she headed in a corner kick from Gabby Diodati in the 54th minute.
 
The Stags (3-1-0) allowed the first goal of the contest in the 22nd minute when NJIT's (2-1-1) Tara Walenczyk beat her defenders at the top of the box and was able to slide it past the Fairfield goalkeeper to open the scoring in the contest. The score was the first that Fairfield had allowed in 290 minutes of regulation to begin the season (their goal surrendered against Wagner came on a penalty kick).
 
NJIT would score the next two goals to take a 3-0 lead in the 52nd minute, but the Stags answered back two minutes later. Hingher would connect on her third career score on Diodati's corner kick to put the Stags on the board. It was the second-straight game that Diodati has been credited with an assist, to put her career number to six helpers.
 
The Stags would surrender another penalty kick in the 64th minute and Fiona Wright would convert her chance for her second goal of the game and the team's fourth.
 
The Highlanders held a slight 15-14 advantage in shots for the match, with Fairfield collecting nine attempts in the second half. The Stags managed nine shots on target with Alex Madden leading the team with three. However, NJIT's goalkeeper Amelia Sapirman made seven saves and the team was credited with a defensive save on a Madden shot in the 18th minute.
 
The Stags had five shots on goal through the first 30 minutes of the game with Sara Plowman, Jenn Wahlig, Diodati, and Madden each forcing stops from the keeper.
 
Fairfield will be back in action on Thursday night when they travel to Bryant for a 3pm kickoff.