Sharks regain form at Dartmouth

Puente's highlight-reel goal sparks 2-0 victory for LIU

September 13, 2022 John Torenli, Sports Editor

LIU junior defender Andre Puente's career high-tying third goal of the year was spectacular and helped the Sharks snap a two-game skid. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

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Andre Puente matched his goal total for all of last season, grabbed Northeast Conference Player of the Week honors and, most importantly, pulled the Long Island University men’s soccer team out of its first slump of the year.

Puente scored his third goal of the season in acrobatic fashion to spark a much-needed 2-0 victory for the defending NEC champs over Dartmouth on Saturday evening in front of 518 fans at Burnham Field in Hanover, New Hampshire.

The 6-foot-1 junior defender, who tallied three times all of last season while helping the Sharks (3-2) to the NCAA Tournament, scored twice in last Wednesday’s 3-2 loss at Hofstra.

He took less than four and a half games this season to match last year’s goal total, striking on a rarely seen bicycle kick with his back to the netminder off a feed from Viggo Svedin in the 30th minute that proved to be the game-winner.

Junior striker Emil Jaaskelainen split a pair of defenders before registering his third goal of the year to cap the scoring in the 86th minute, ending LIU’s two-game losing streak and grabbing NEC honorable mention honors as an NEC Prime Performer.

Sharks goalie Gianluca Cercosimo made nine saves to preserve the shutout and also made honorable mention for NEC Prime Performer honors as LIU averted its first three-game losing streak since 2019.

The Sharks will try to build off the victory Wednesday at 3 p.m., when they host Manhattan in Brookville, N.Y.

The LIU women snapped a four-game losing streak with Saturday’s 2-2 tie against the visiting Virginia Military Institute.

Down a pair of goals early, the Sharks (2-5-1) got goals from Jaylin Counts and Gina Proviano in the second half to draw even.

Kayla DeTreux made five saves to protect the lead for LIU, which ended its slide but remained winless since capping a two-game winning streak with a 1-0 win vs. Saint Peter’s on Aug. 25.

The Sharks will shoot for their third win of the year when they open NEC play at home vs. Central Connecticut State on Thursday afternoon.

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Jamie-Lyn Shimamoto scored the lone goal for the Terriers as SFC knotted Rider 1-1 at Brooklyn Bridge Park on Sunday. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

Over at St. Francis Brooklyn, the women’s squad earned its second consecutive draw with a 1-1 result against visiting Rider Sunday at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Senior forward Jamie-Lyn Shimamoto got the Terriers (1-3-3) on the board just before the halftme horn. But SFC was denied its first win since Aug. 25 vs. Hartford when Olivia Smith scored off a set piece for the Broncs (3-2-2) in the 68th minute.

Standout goalie Klil Keshwar made five saves for the Terriers, who will kick off their NEC slate at Merrimack in North Andover, Massachusetts on Thursday.

SFC also observed a moment of silence before Sunday’s match, honoring the memory of 14 SFC students and alumni who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001 during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

“We take this time to honor the memory of all those tragically lost 21 years ago, including the 14 @SFCNY students and alumni,” the SFBK Terriers tweeted.

“We are forever thankful for the sacrifices of the first responders that day. Let us honor them through the work we do for others.”

The SFC men, off to a 1-3-1 start in non-conference action, were scheduled to host Lafayette Tuesday afternoon at Brooklyn Bridge Park.

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Christopher Renna and the Brooklyn College men’s soccer team will try to end a five-game winless slide Wednesday at Purchase College. Photo courtesy of BC Athletics

The Brooklyn College men’s team remained winless after five games following Monday’s 4-0 loss to Farmingdale at BC Field.

Christopher Renna and Jodi Hernandez had two shots each for the Bulldogs (0-4-1), who will get their next shot at win No. 1 on Wednesday at Purchase College.

The BC women nearly overcame a two-goal deficit last Friday before suffering a 5-4 loss at St. Elizabeth University in Morristown, N.J.

Oshen Henderson scored a pair of goals and Flor Ramos and Priscilla Diaz also tallied for the winless Bulldogs (0-3), who will try to get off the schneid Wednesday against visiting New Jersey City University.