HACKENSACK, N.J. – The LIU Brooklyn men's soccer team clinched a spot in the Northeast Conference tournament Monday night on the road at Fairleigh Dickinson. The Knights and the Blackbirds battled to a 1-1 double overtime tie, a result that assures LIU a spot in the championship event in two weeks. With the tie, LIU moves to 4-1-1 in conference, while FDU is 2-2-2, and still alive for the fourth and final spot.

Both St. Francis Brooklyn (5-0-1) and Robert Morris (3-2-1) also clinched their spots in the tournament this weekend.

FDU and LIU were a near perfect match statistically throughout the contest, as was reflected in the score. The two teams both had 10 shots, four of which were on net, and both keepers had three saves. The only difference was LIU's slight advantage in corner kicks, 7-1.

The Knights would take the lead early in the contest, scoring a goal just eight minutes in on a cross into the box. The Blackbirds spent the rest of the half battling back, but would enter the halftime break down 1-0 to the home team.

LIU would even the score up in the 56^th minute on a beautiful goal. Junior Rasmus Hansen sent the ball downfield, where junior Filip Nordstrom collected it in the box and fired it across the net, where sophomore Christoffer Bjarre Solbakken was cutting in. Solbakken fired a quick low shot to the left corner that FDU's keeper never saw coming, and the score was tied, 1-1.

The two teams would end regulation with the score knotted up, and went into the first overtime period. Freshman keeper Anthony Sciola would have two saves in the first OT, helping keep LIU on track late in the game. Sciola made his third save of the game in the second overtime period, and the two teams ended the 110 minutes of play still tied, 1-1.

The Blackbirds now shift focus to the final regular season game of the year with the highest stakes so far. LIU will host league-leader and local rival St. Francis Brooklyn, Friday, November 3 at 1 p.m. on LIU Field. The annual battle of the two Brooklyn teams will be a winner-takes-all scenario, with a regular season championship, hosting rights and the top seed in the tournament all on the line. SFBK stands at 5-0-1 in the conference, while LIU is 4-1-1; the winner of Friday's contest will host the 2017 Northeast Conference men's soccer championship, taking place November 10 and 12.