No. 24-ranked Montclair State used three goals in the first and second half to defeat the Covenant men's soccer team 6-1 on Friday night in the Maryville College Fall Classic.
The loss drops Covenant to 1-1 on the year while Montclair State, ranked 24th in the preseason NSCAA Top 25, moves to 2-0.
It was the second straight year that Covenant has played a perennial power out of the New Jersey Athletic Conference. Last year, the Scots defeated Rutgers-Newark in the season opener.
This time around, the Red Hawks wasted little time in asserting themselves.
In the third minute, Mike Olla gave Montclair a 1-0 lead with an unassisted goal. Covenant would tie the score at 1-1 in the 22nd minute when Tim Love found Isaac Johnson for the equalizer. The score was Johnson's first in his collegiate career.
Just 30 seconds later, Montclair grabbed the lead again, this time for good, on a goal headed in by Damian Bziukiewicz for a 2-1 lead. The Red Hawks added another in the 23rd minute from Lucas Terci for a 3-1 lead they would take into halftime.
Montclair extended the lead in the 70th minute on a score from Kazari Trought and the Red Hawks would add two more scores for the final tally.
Covenant keepers Daniel Kubin and Jonathan Crossman combined for four saves. Montclair outshot the Scots 20-6. Montclair's Mike Saalfrank made one save in the victory.
UP NEXT
Covenant concludes the Maryville College Fall Classic on Saturday against Centre. Match time is set for 7:30 p.m.