Loretto, PA -- Junior Antonio Nunziata (Caracas, Venezuela/Cristo Rey) scored his third goal in two games to lead the Fairleigh Dickinson men’s soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Central Connecticut State in the Northeast Conference championship match on Sunday afternoon in Loretto, PA.

With the win, Fairleigh Dickinson clinched its fourth consecutive NEC championship and earns its fourth straight bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Nunziata spotted the Knights to an early 1-0 advantage 7:21 into the opening half, taking a pass on the left side from sophomore Mirza Rusevic (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) before driving a shot into the lower right corner of the Central Connecticut State goal from 15 yards out.

Fairleigh Dickinson would add an insurance goal in the tightly-contested title match in the 86th minute when senior Aaron Paye (Brooklyn Center, MN/Champlin Park) converted on a break-away opportunity, beating Blue Devils’ junior goalkeeper Andrew Sierman (Warren, RI/Barrington) from 12 yards out.

Nunziata earned NEC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors following the championship match. The native of Venezuela scored two goals against Robert Morris in the Knights’ 3-1 semifinal win over the Colonials on Friday before netting the game-winner in Sunday’s championship.

Fairleigh Dickinson junior Brian Gearon (Massapequa, NY/Saint Anthony’s) recorded a key defensive save midway through the second half to preserve a 1-0 advantage for the Knights. Gearon dropped behind FDU senior keeper Andrew Nucifora (Monroe, CT/Masuk) and stopped a line-drive shot from CCSU junior Caleb Neves (Warren, RI/Mount Hope) that would have evened the score.

Fairleigh Dickinson (14-4-1) outshot Central Connecticut State (11-3-4), 10-4, and owned a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks. Nucifora recorded three saves in the shutout victory. Sierman made one stop for the Blue Devils.

The NCAA tournament field will be announced on Monday afternoon at 4:00 pm. The Knights, currently ranked 14th in NCAA Division I and first in the Mid-Atlantic Region, defeated Holy Cross in the opening round of last season’s NCAA Tournament.


NEC Semifinal Recap #1
#1 Fairleigh Dickinson 3, #4 Robert Morris 1

Johnstown, PA -- Junior Antonio Nunziata (Caracas, Venezuela/Cristo Rey) scored two goals, including the game-winner, to lead top-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson University to a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over fourth-seeded Robert Morris University in opening-round action at the Northeast Conference men’s soccer tournament.

With the victory, the Knights advance to Sunday’s NEC championship match against second-seeded Central Connecticut State. The Blue Devils defeated number three seed Long Island in a penalty kick shootout in Friday’s other semifinal match. Fairleigh Dickinson is currently ranked 14th in NCAA Division I and first in the Mid-Atlantic Region and is seeking its fourth consecutive NEC title.

Nunziata netted the go-ahead goal for the Knights at 38:47, scoring from the top of the box after taking a crossing pass from senior Aaron Paye (Brooklyn, Center, MN/Champlin Park). The third-year forward then added an insurance goal at 87:57, receiving a pass from senior Johnny David (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) before beating Robert Morris freshman goalkeeper Tomer Chencinski (Thornhill, ONT/Westmount) on a breakaway to extend the FDU lead to 3-1.

Robert Morris scored the match’s first goal at 12:02 when freshman Mark Klabnik (Butler, PA/Knoch) scored from the left side off an assist from senior Said Ali (Hamilton, ONT/Saint Bonaventure). The Colonials then allowed an own goal to even the score at 1-1 before Nunziata’s back-to-back goals.

Fairleigh Dickinson (13-4-1) outshot Robert Morris (7-7-5), 15-11, and owned a 13-3 advantage in corner kicks. Chencinski played all 90 minutes in net for Robert Morris, recording six saves. Fairleigh Dickinson senior goalkeeper Andrew Nucifora (Monroe, CT/Masuk) stopped two shots.


NEC Semifinal Recap #2
#2 CCSU 0, #3 Long Island 0
CCSU Advances Via Penalty Kicks, 4-2

Johnstown, PA -- Central Connecticut State University advanced to the Northeast Conference men’s soccer championship game by defeating Long Island University in a penalty kick shootout, 4-2, in opening-round action at the NEC tournament.

With the victory, Central Connecticut State extended its unbeaten streak to eight straight games and advances to Sunday’s NEC championship match versus top-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson University. The Knights defeated Robert Morris University, 3-1, in Friday’s other semifinal action.

The Blue Devils and Blackbirds battled through 110 minutes of scoreless action before the match moved into a penalty kick shootout. Junior Caleb Neves (Warren, RI/Mount Hope) scored the match’s deciding goal, beating Long Island junior goalkeeper Ryszard Gorski (Aberdeenshire, Scotland/Robert Gordon) with a high, arching shot that sailed into the upper left corner of the Blackbirds’ goal.

Central Connecticut State, which is seeking its first-ever NEC championship, received its other penalty kick shootout goals from freshman Alex Harrison (Eastbourne, England/Willingdon), senior John Pilkington (Durham, England/Parkside) and sophomore Jorden Holder (Oxon, England).

Long Island’s penalty kick shootout goals were scored by senior Oskar Tilly (Karlstad, Sweden/ Southampton) and junior Josh Couvillion (New Orleans, LA/Jesuit).

Central Connecticut State junior goalkeeper Andrew Sierman (Warren, RI/Barrington) recorded three saves through regulation and overtime and stopped two Blackbirds’ penalty kicks in the shootout. Gorski finished the match with seven saves for Long Island.

Long Island (9-6-4) outshot Central Connecticut State (11-2-4), 13-9. The Blue Devils, who entered the match tied for third in the New England Region, owned a 6-2 advantage over the Blackbirds in corner kicks.