PHILADELPHIA – Freshman goalkeeper Bobby Edwards made a season-high six saves to lead the Saint Joseph's men's soccer team to a scoreless draw with NJIT on Saturday evening. The Hawks now stand at 5-1-3 overall for a .722 winning percentage, which marks the program's best start throughout the opening nine matches of a season since 1993.

"I was proud of our guys," said head coach Don D'Ambra following the match. "It was a very physical match . . . To get another shutout and hold them scoreless and put our team in a situation to win the game, our guys battled hard."

The physical match saw eight yellow cards and 31 total fouls, with NJIT being whistled for 21.

Putting pressure on NJIT (4-2-3) early in the match, Saint Joseph's struck first as senior forward Mike Glazer fired a ball from the left side of the box. NJIT goalkeeper Christian Foust made the save but the ball came loose, finding senior midfielder Jake Mulinge. Mulinge took the shot, but Foust came up with the save just four seconds from the first to keep SJU off the scoreboard.

The best opportunity for SJU came in the form of a penalty kick in the 52nd minute, but the Hawks could not convert as Foust made a diving save to his right.

NJIT put offensive pressure on the Hawks early in the second half, as Ansel Ueshiro and Marko Drljic launched back-to-back shots on goal just 14 seconds apart in the 58th minute of play. However, Edwards (3-0-3) made the pair of saves, and two more in the 64th and 78th minute. The rookie had additionally made two first-half saves.

Junior forward Mark Colville took a pair of shots in the overtime frames, with one blocked in the 94th minute and another in the 110th. Between, sophomore midfielder Eric Jordan attempted a header in the 105th minute, but Foust made the save.

For the match, Saint Joseph's owned a 20-12 advantage in shots and 7-4 edge in corner kicks. Each team landed six shots on goal.

Sophomore midfielder Sam Irvin fired off a team-best four shots, while Colville, Glazer, and sophomore forward Mori Diane took three each.

In a phenomenal defensive effort, Saint Joseph's back line of seniors Tommy Brooks, Jake Nelson, Brandon Stevis, junior Tim Lazorko, and sophomore Mike Stuski blocked seven NJIT attempts.

Saint Joseph's will hit the road for four consecutive away contests, beginning with Penn in a Philadelphia Soccer Six matchup this Tuesday, September 30. Start time at Rhodes Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

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MATCH NOTES: The Hawks welcomed all 2014 campers to participate in Camper Appreciation Night prior and during the match. All 2014 SJU Hawks Summer Camp participants participated in the pre-game player introductions, scrimmaged on the field at halftime, were greeted by the SJU Hawk mascot, acknowledged, and brought together for a large camp group phot... In the past seven-match stretch, the Hawks have gone 4-0-3, which is the program's longest stretch of not losing a match in 41 years - since the 1973 team went 5-0-2 throughout seven matches... Freshman goalkeeper Bobby Edwards made a season- and career-high six saves for his third shutout of the season... Junior forward Mark Colville (70) and freshman midfielder Mike Akinkoye (26) saw season-high minutes off the bench.