LORETTO, PA. -- The LIU Brooklyn women's soccer team went toe-to-toe for over ninety minutes against two-time defending NEC champion Saint Francis U. on Saturday, before surrendering the only goal of the game on a 25-yard strike in the third minute of overtime. With the LIU defense limiting the reigning NEC Player of the Year, Alyssa McGhee to only three shots in regulation, the junior striker sent a 25-yard blast into the upper right side of the net for the golden goal in the Northeast Conference opener for both teams.

Sophomore Megan Virgin, got the start in net, facing 17 shots and made five saves in 93 minutes of work. In the middle of the first half, Virgin made a fingertip save that next ricocheted off the post, before going out of play. She also had a diving stop just at the conclusion of the first period and made her other four saves in the second half.

The Blackbirds (2-7-2, 0-1 NEC) tried in earnest to score at the end of regulation, dominating possession in the final ten minutes of the second half and ripping off seven straight shots as time was winding down, but the Blackbirds couldn't get one past Red Flash (3-6-2, 1-0 NEC) keeper Julia Hernon (seven saves), who picked up her fourth shutout of the year.

Senior forward Marian Awad took six shots, with three on goal, including a header off of an Emily Poole corner kick that just slipped wide of the net. Sophomore Kimberly Butland had a season high four shots, one of which glanced off the crossbar in the second half, Fellow sophomore Brittany Fazin took a season high three shots (two on goal) for the second consecutive game to help lead the offensive effort.

The Blackbirds will now return to Downtown Brooklyn for a pair of NEC games next weekend, as they face Mount St. Mary's in the home opener on Friday, Sept. 28 at 3:00 p.m. Then on Sunday, the team will celebrate Senior Day as they play Sacred Heart (1 p.m. kickoff) at LIU Field.