BROOKLYN, N.Y. - After eight straight wins, including three in a row on LIU Field, the LIU Brooklyn men's soccer team is hitting the road for a crucial stretch of Northeast Conference games. The Blackbirds (9-3-1, 4-0 NEC) will head to Pennsylvania to take on Robert Morris, Friday, October 19 at 3 p.m., before traveling to Loretto to take on Saint Francis U., Sunday, October 21 at 2 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
LIU beat both Sacred Heart (3-2) and Mount St. Mary's (2-1) in overtime last weekend, to remain the only undefeated team in the NEC. Both games were dramatic overtime comebacks for the Blackbirds.
NEC HONOREES
Sophomore Fredrik Mathisen was named NEC Co-Player of the Week, his second weekly honor, while freshman Huib Achterkamp was named NEC Rookie of the Week for the second time, it was announced by the league office Tuesday.
Mathisen led the Blackbirds to a 3-2 overtime win against Sacred Heart on Friday night. After falling behind 2-1 to the Pioneers, the two-time NEC Player of the Week scored in the 79th minute, turning and finding the upper corner to tie the game. LIU earned a corner kick almost five minutes into the first overtime session and Mathisen struck again, curling a shot into the far corner for the win. The Oslo, Norway native leads the Blackbirds in goals (5) and points (14), and ranks in the NEC top-five in scoring, goals and assists.
Achterkamp netted the game-winning goal in LIU Brooklyn's 2-1 overtime win against Mount St. Mary's. The freshman headed the ball in off a Filip Nordstrom free kick in the 96th minute to give LIU its eighth straight win. Achterkamp also added an assist in LIU's 3-2 overtime win against Sacred Heart on Friday night.
SCOUTING THE COLONIALS
Robert Morris currently stands at 4-8-1 overall, and 2-2-0 in the NEC. The Colonials beat St. Francis Brooklyn, 1-0, but suffered losses against Bryant (2-0) and FDU. The loss to the Knights was the most recent for RMU, as they fell on the road to FDU last weekend, 1-0 in double overtime.
Last year, the Blackbirds dropped a 1-0 decision at home to Robert Morris, but lead the all time series, 21-15-1.
Senior keeper Winter Fondi has been a crucial part of RMU's four wins, as the goalie has registered each of those games as a shutout. His four shutouts is the highest total in the league. Senior forward Zac Sherman is the team's leading scorer, with five goals and three assists, while senior defender Owen Pearce has three goals and a team-high four assists.
SCOUTING THE RED FLASH
Saint Francis U. is currently second in the NEC standings behind the Blackbirds, with a 6-3-3 overall record, and 2-0-2 in NEC play. The Red Flash are undefeated at home this season, and have notched 0-0 ties with two of the best teams in the league, in Bryant and FDU. They will take on CCSU Friday afternoon, before welcoming the Blackbirds on Sunday.
SFU has the second-highest scoring offense in the league after LIU, with 19 goals so far this season. Senior forward Mario Mastrangelo, a first-team All-NEC honoree last year, leads the league and his team in points, with six goals and six assists. And the SFU goal keeping staff has combined for five shutouts this season. They are led by freshman keeper Alex Morgret, who has tallied the second best goals-against average in the league, and who has been in net for 10 of the team's 12 games.
SFU holds the all-time edge against the Blackbirds, 12-19-1 but LIU beat them last year, 2-1. For the last six years, the LIU and SFU matchup has been determined by just one goal.
UP NEXT
The Blackbirds continue their road swing, heading north to take on Bryant, Sunday, October 28 at 1 p.m.