More Than Just Goodbyes on Senior Day for LIU Brooklyn Men's Soccer

The LIU Brooklyn men’s soccer team plays its final regular-season home game of 2014 this Friday, hosting Sacred Heart at 6:00 pm. A win tonight over the hapless Pioneers (0-13-2; 0-4-1 NEC) will not only be a memorable send off for five graduating seniors, it would give the Blackbirds an insurmountable lead over their primary rivals for the Northeast Conference (NEC) Men’s Soccer Tournament.

After opening the season with eight losses in it’s first nine contests—including two hard-luck losses in overtime—LIU (4-10; 3-2 NEC) is peaking at just the right time, collecting three conference wins, good for third place. The top four finishers in regular season conference play qualify for the NEC tournament.

With preseason conference favorite Central Connecticut State and Fairleigh Dickinson both tied for fifth, a win tonight will guarantee LIU a berth in its first NEC tournament since 2004 when the Blackbirds last captured a conference title and with it a spot in the NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament.

As reported by LIU Athletics, last Sunday the Blackbirds took captured a crucial 1-0 win at home over Fairleigh Dickinson. Sophomore Naeem Charles scored the game winner in the 64th minute to secure the victory

For his efforts Charles was named the U-ADE/NEC Co-Rookie of the Week. Another Blackbird picking up accolades this week is senior Brice Merwine, who yesterday was named to the Capital One Academic All-District First Team, due to his outstanding performance on the pitch and in the classroom, where the mathematics major sports a 3.92 grade point average.

Leading the Blackbirds with 10 goals—and tied for for eighth in the nation and second in the NEC— Merwine, a striker from Carlise, PA is one of five LIU seniors who will be honored in a pregame ceremony. The others include Nick Cavaretta, Andre LeBlanc, Matt Mummert and David Nuernberg

PHOTO CREDIT: LIU Athletics