LIU Brooklyn, St. Francis Play For More Than Bragging Rights This Sunday

When men’s soccer rivals LIU Brooklyn and St. Francis Brooklyn face each other this Sunday at 1pm at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5 , the Blackbirds and Terriers will close out their regular seasons with a meaningful “Battle of Brooklyn” match-up.

For the first time since 1997, both programs are in the Northeast Conference Men’s Soccer Tournament at the same time. LIU qualified for the NEC playoffs for the first time since 2004, the last time the Blackbirds captured a NEC title. St. Francis is the reigning NEC champs, having captured its first conference title since 1998.

With both teams having already qualified for the 2014 tournament, playoff seeding is at stake this weekend. LIU (5-10; 4-2 NEC) and St. Francis (8-5-4; 3-1-2 NEC) are holding down the last two spots in the four team draw, but with a win either team could leap-frog second place Bryant (8-4-2; 4-0-2) to finish behind conference leader St. Francis PA (11-5-1; 5-1 NEC).

LIU leads the series 25-19-3; last year, with St. Francis’ superb striker Kevin Correa leading the way with a goal and an assist, the Terriers knocked the Blackbirds out of contention for a NEC playoff spot with a dominating 4-0 win.

For LIU head coach TJ Kostecky, his squad’s return to the NEC playoffs is even sweeter because the Blackbirds were picked to finish at the bottom of the conference.

“It’s great to make the NEC tournament,” said Kostecky, now in his 16th season at LIU. “To finish top four in the league after our team was picked last is a testament to the hard work and belief our players have in their abilities.”

“As a top team and defending conference champions, we’re excited to play St. Francis,” Kostecky said about the Terriers, who saw Correa transfer to New Mexico this summer. “We’ll certainly need to be on top of our game to win”.

Tom Giovatto, St. Francis’ head coach, was matter-of-fact about the task ahead for his team.

“The game on Sunday is a rival game for our alumni and our school,” said Giovatto, whose club is playing LIU in Brooklyn Bridge Park for the first time since relocating to Pier 5, where the Terriers have a 9-2-1 record over two seasons. “For us it is another tough conference game and a chance for us to get three points and improve our standing. We want to play well, improve and get ready for the NEC Tournament.”

Wilson Egidio, a local coach who also co-owns Upper 90, a Brooklyn-based soccer boutique, eagerly anticipates the latest episode in this long running series.

“I’m looking forward to a Brooklyn college soccer classic,” said Egidio, who this summer led Manhattan Soccer Club’s U-17 team to a national title, the first for a New York City club since 1985. “[LIU and St. Francis] go back a long way with a history of great players.”

As is often the case with local rivals, the two schools have intertwined histories. Arnie Ramirez was the LIU coach in 1997 when the Blackbirds beat St. Francis 2-1 in the first round of the NEC soccer tournament. Coaching the Terriers was Carlo Tramontozzi, Ramirez’s life-long friend.

In recognition of the two coaches’ accomplishments, starting in 2013 the winner of the annual contest is awarded the Ramirez/Tramontozzi trophy. By virtue of its dominant victory last year, St. Francis captured the inaugural trophy on LIU’s field.

Now is an opportunity for the Blackbirds to return the favor. No matter the outcome, Egidio expects a good outcome for fans.

“With the NYC downtown skyline in the background the venue is perfect,” he said. “You can’t ask for anything more.”

PHOTO CREDIT: St Francis Brooklyn Athletics