NEC CHAMPS! Men's Soccer Beats Bryant 4-0 to Capture League Crown

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The LIU Brooklyn men's soccer team won the 2018 Northeast Conference championship on their home field Sunday afternoon, beating Bryant in dominant fashion, 4-0. With the win, the Blackbirds earn the NEC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, and will take part in the first round, Thursday, November 15. The Blackbirds (12-5-1) dominated possession from the first whistle, beating Bryant (5-9-3) for the second time this season, and capturing the programs sixth NEC men's soccer championship. Overall, LIU held a 16-11 advantage in shots, and it didn't take long for the first shot to fall for the soaring Blackbirds. Just eight minutes into the game, Giuseppe Barone passed a ball in the box, and senior Filip Nordström flipped it off the back of his foot. Junior Zach Peterson was there, and knocked into the back of the net to put LIU on the board, 1-0. The Blackbirds held a 1-0 lead at the halftime break, but quickly added to their total. In the 50th minute, Peterson would strike again. Sophomore Erik Johansson cleared the ball on defense, on a perfect pass up the left side of the field, where senior Christoffer Bjarre Solbakken was waiting. Solbakken beat his defender, and passed it right in front of the net, where a charging Peterson was waiting. The junior one-touched it into the net, on a near perfect finish that floated by Bryant's keeper, making it 2-0 Blackbirds. And in the late stages of the game, the Blackbirds would add two more goals to clinch the win for the home team. In the 87th minute, senior Rasmus Hansen dribbled around his defender and drove the shot to the left side of the net, putting LIU up, 3-0. And just over a minute later, Solbakken did the same thing, beating his Bulldog defender to score and make it 4-0 Blackbirds. LIU Brooklyn has now won four tournament crowns to go along with pair of titles in the NEC's pre-tournament era.