BROOKLYN, N.Y. --- After nearly two weeks off from competition, the LIU Brooklyn women's soccer team will return to action this weekend with its first two Northeast Conference (NEC) road contests of the season. The Blackbirds will take on Mount St. Mary's on Friday, September 29 at 7 p.m. in Emmitsburg, Md. before returning to New York to face Wagner College on Sunday, October 1 at 1 p.m.

LIU will be looking to reverse recent trends and pick up a victory in its NEC opener for the first time since 2010, when the Blackbirds shut out Wagner 4-0 and opened the conference slate unbeaten in their first eight matches (7-0-1).

LAST TIME OUT
LIU finished a four-game homestand at 2-2 with a 3-0 defeat to Binghamton on September 17. Junior Marian Awad led all Blackbirds with three shots - all three coming on goal - while junior Aline Allmann made the start in goal and stopped eight shots in a full 90 minutes.

NEC NUMBERS
Allmann currently leads the NEC in saves per game (8.20) and save percentage (.891) while redshirt senior Jenn Peters is first in the league in game-winning goals (2).

SCOUTING MOUNT ST. MARY'S & WAGNER
Mount St. Mary's enters Friday's match - its first NEC game of the year - with a 3-6-1 record after playing Delaware State to a scoreless tie in its last game on September 24. LIU leads the all-time series with the Mountaineers, 14-5-1, and won the teams' last matchup, 3-2 in double overtime last season. Junior Jenna West leads the team in goals (5) and points while freshman Jasmine McCree has set up three scores on her own. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Maggie Barron has started eight of Mount's ten matches and has 21 saves, a .583 save percentage and a 1.82 goals against average.

Wagner will also open their league schedule against the Blackbirds, carrying a 3-5-2 record into Sunday's match. The Seahawks lost its last match, an 11-0 shutout at Columbia on September 24. LIU has a 14-6 edge in the all-time series but will be looking for its first win in five tries (since 2012). Two players each lead the team in goals (Kristen Bischoff and Maria Nunez with 2) and assists (Sandra Battista and Mya Donnelly with 2), with Nunez, Bischoff and Battista each logging four points. Goalkeeper Katie Viscardi has made the most starts (seven in eight appearances) and sports a 2.75 goals against average, 27 saves, and a .711 save percentage.