NEWARK, N.J. – In the Panthers' Sun Belt Conference opener, the Georgia State men's soccer team dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker in overtime against NJIT in Newark, N.J.

Stephen McGill opened the scoring in the 42nd minute with a fantastic shot from 40 yards out. However, it was not enough as the Highlanders scored in the 65th and 93rd minutes to complete the comeback and earn the win.

Over the first 20 minutes of the match the Highlanders had three quality scoring chances.

• First in the 14th minute Nikola Gogic sent a header on target but GSU goalkeeper CJ Cochran made the save.
• Marko Drljic then tried his luck in the 19th minute but his shot deflected off the post.
• One minute later Cristian Marcel had an opportunity by Cochran saved his effort.

Georgia State's first opportunity came in the 26th minute when Andy Anglade fired a shot on goal. However, NJIT goalkeeper Christian Foust was there for the save.

Over the next 10 minutes Cochran was forced to make a pair of saves to keep the match scoreless.

• First in the 34th minute, Cochran denied Drljic for the second time in the first half.
• Then one minute later, Jimmy Myers tested Cochran but the senior keeper made the save.

GSU finally broke through to grab a lead in the 42nd minute when McGill scored his second goal of the season. He won the ball back near midfield and noticed that Foust was off his line. So McGill chipped the keeper from 40 yards out and give the Panthers a 1-0 advantage.

Neither team attempted a shot over the next three minutes and the first half ended with Georgia State leading 1-0.

• The Highlanders outshot the Panthers 6-2 during the first 45 minutes but GSU took three of four total corner kicks.

The Panthers had two chances in the first six minutes of the second half. First Aaron Jones in the 49th minute but his effort was high. Two minutes later Cory Plasker fired a shot on goal but it was saved by Foust.

NJIT tied the game 1-1 in the 65th minute when Victor Kausch scored his first goal of the season. Drljic layed the ball off to Kausch who scored from just outside the six-yard box.

The Highlanders had a four chances to take the lead over the final 25 minutes of regulation but they could not beat Cochran.

• In the 72nd minute Drljic fired a shot on target but the GSU keeper was there for the save.
• Then in the 77th minute Phillip Costa tested Cochran but the senior was up to the task.
• Three minutes later Stephen McGeever tried his luck but he too was denied by Cochran.
• Finally, in the 90th minute Cochran saved Marcel's close-range header.

After 90 minutes there was nothing to separate GSU and NJIT so the teams prepared for overtime.

• In the second half, the Highlanders held a 6-3 edge in shots and took the only two corners.

Three minutes into overtime NJIT found the back of the net to clinch the 2-1 come-from-behind victory. Marcel passed to McGeever, who fired a shot into the top-right corner from just outside the 18-yard box. Cochran got a hand to the ball but could not make the save as it deflected into the net.

• GSU drops to 4-6 overall and 0-1 in conference play this season.
• Highlanders improve to 6-3-3 and 1-0 in the Sun Belt in 2014.
• Cochran finished with eight saves, two shy of his career high, on 13 shots faced.
• Georgia State returns to the field on Tuesday, Oct. 14. The Panthers travel to Chapel Hill, N.C. to battle the Tar Heels at 7 p.m.