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Blackbirds Soar, Win Sixth NEC Men's Soccer Championship

11/11/2018


 
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Brooklyn, NY --
After an impressive display of firepower, top-seeded LIU Brooklyn hoisted the NEC men's soccer trophy for the sixth time in its history with a 4-0 win over third-seeded Bryant in Brooklyn on Sunday.

LIU has now won four tournament crowns to go along with pair of titles in the NEC's pre-tournament era.

It did not take long for the Blackbirds to find the back of the net. In the 8th minute, junior midfielder Zach Peterson (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford) took advantage of a deflection with a left-footed shot that found the back of the net for his second goal of the season.
 
Neither team really threatened for much of the first half until a late chance in the final seconds when LIU's Filip Nordström (Stockholm, Sweden/Solna Gymnasium) sent a free kick into the box and NEC Defensive Player of the Year Erik Johansson (Angelholm, Sweden/Angelholms Gymnasteskala) was able to flick it on goal but was stopped by the left hand of Olivier Larente (La Salle, Montreal, Canada/American School of Paris).
 
The Blackbirds would take a 1-0 lead into the break.

After defeating the Bulldogs, 1-0, in its penultimate regular season game, the Blackbirds made sure this game wouldn't be that close with a three-goal second half.

Peterson once again struck early, this time just over five minutes into the second half. Peterson split two defenders on a run and redirected a cross from Christoffer Bjarre Solbakken (Baerums, Norway/Norges Toppidrettsgymnas) for his second goal of the game, giving LIU a 2-0 lead.
 
LIU (13-5-1) kept coming with chance after chance in the second half, but Larente was equal to the task, making four saves. In the 81st minute, Hansen took a low hard shot from inside the box that was turned away by the junior keeper.
 
The lead would soon double for the Blackbirds.

In the 88th minute, senior Rasmus Hansen (Greve, Denmark/Brondby Gymnasium) beat a defender one-on-one after a long run for his 7th goal of the season. Less than two minutes later Solbakken would win a challenge and score LIU's fourth goal to ice the game.

Peterson was named Tournament MVP for his two goals that doubled his regular season total.
 
Larente finished with seven saves for Bryant (5-9-3), while Ilin stopped three shots to earn the victory.
 
Overall, LIU held a 16-11 advantage in shots.
 
LIU Brooklyn will find out its next opponent when the NCAA selection show airs tomorrow on NCAA.com at 1 p.m. 

NEC All-Tournament Team
Zach Peterson, LIU - MVP
Rasmus Hansen, LIU
Sam Ilin, LIU
Erik Johansson, LIU
Olivier Larente, BRY
Matteo Toti, BRY
Charles DeSantis, BRY
Mario Mastrangelo, SFU
Christian Kirchhoff, SFU
Jahmali Waite, FDU
Ideal Shefqeti, FDU