HAWKS DROP SEASON FINALE AT LIU

Brooklyn, N.Y. – The Monmouth Hawks traveled to Brooklyn, N.Y. this afternoon to take on Long Island University in what was the Hawks’ season finale in men’s collegiate soccer action.  The 3-1 loss for Monmouth ends the Hawks’ season with a 4-13-1 overall record, and 2-7-1 in the NEC.  With the win, Long Island took another step towards reaching the Northeast Conference Tournament and snapped a seven-game winless streak against Monmouth.

The Blackbirds (7-5-4, 5-1-3 NEC) moved into fourth place in the NEC, two points ahead of idle St. Francis (PA) for the final tournament spot. They can clinch their first league tournament berth since 1997 with a win in the regular-season finale Friday at Central Connecticut State.

LIU opened the scoring in the 40th minute when a cross by David Ledet  (Houma, LA) was headed in by the Monmouth defense. The Blackbirds made it 2-0 less than two minutes later when freshman Casey Madigan (Montvale, NJ) knocked the ball in after a scramble in front.

The Hawks cut the lead in half in the 42nd minute as Joe Sellitto (Raritan, N.J./Raritan) bent a perfect ball on a free kick past LIU goalkeeper Eric Masters (Carmel, IN).

The game remained 2-1 until the 90th minute when LIU freshman Matt Paradise  (Pittsburgh, PA) headed home his team-leading 10th goal of the season off a cross by Ledet.

The Blackbirds outshot Monmouth, 21-10, including 12-3 in the second half, and were 0-6-1 in seven previous meetings since 1993. Masters made three saves and Hawks’ goalkeeper Ryan Weid (Turnersville, N.J./Bishop Eustace) came up with seven.
 

BOX SCORE
MU 1 0 - 1
LIU 2 1 - 3

LIU Team (Own Goal) 39:30, Madigan (Tilly) 40:42, Sellitto (unassisted) 41:40, Paradise (Ledet) 89:33

Shots: MU – 10
 LIU – 21
Corner Kicks: MU – 2
  LIU – 6
Saves: MU – Weid, 7
 LIU – Masters, 3