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Loretto, PA -- It was a back-and-forth tilt for most of the match, but the third-seeded LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds came away with its second-straight Northeast Conference Women's Soccer Championship title with a 1-0 win in front of a crowd of 557 at No. 1 seed and regular-season champion Saint Francis (PA).
LIU Brooklyn graduate student Toni Smith (Rainham, England/Navarro College) scored the game-winner and lone goal in 87th minute on an assist from Shino Kunisawa (Kochi, Japan/Laramie (WY) County Community College). Kunisawa gathered a loose ball and quickly slid a pass to Smith making a run up the left. Smith right-footed a bending shot far post that beat second team All-NEC goalkeeper Brianna Butcher (East Longmeadow, MA/East Longmeadow) to give LIU Brooklyn the go-ahead score.
Both teams played with heavy pressure for the full 90 minutes. Saint Francis (PA) took 16 shots, including nine in the second half and five total from NEC Player of the Year Tesa McKibben (Cogan Station, PA/Montoursville), while LIU Brooklyn had eight, three of which came from Kunisawa.
Blackbirds' goalkeeper Jessica Sexton (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) was instrumental to the win, making seven saves for her second shutout of the postseason. She was named Tournament MVP for her efforts.
This was the third consecutive season the Blackbirds and Red Flash competed for the tournament title. This is now LIU Brooklyn's third NEC Championship win in program history.
LIU Brooklyn landed seven shots on goal and two corner kicks, while Saint Francis (PA) had seven shots on goals and corners.
Northeast Conference MVP
Jessica Sexton LIU GK Jr. Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia
Northeast Conference All-Tournament Team
Jessica Sexton LIU GK Jr. Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia
Katie Egan LIU D Sr. Hanover, MA/Hanover
Toni Smith LIU F Gr. Rainham, England/Navarro College
Nikki Labo LIU M Jr. Aurora, CA/Cherry Creek
Brianna Butcher SFPA GK Jr. East Longmeadow, MA/East Longmeadow
Katy LaBella SFPA D Sr. Warwick, RI/Toll Gate
Tesa McKibben SFPA F Jr. Cogan Station, PA/Montoursville
Dana Costello MU F Jr. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial
Alexa Freguletti MU D/M So. Mahwah, NJ/Mahwah
Alyssa Brandofino SHU D Jr. East Northport, NY/Commack
Liz Stewart SHU D Sr. Seaford, NY/Plainedge
2012 NEC Women's Soccer Championship
Hosted by Saint Francis (PA)
Click here for Saint Francis (PA) Championship Webpage
All games to be broadcast live on NEC Front Row
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