Sharks slip back to second in NEC

Slumping LIU looks to snap three-game slide on Senior Day

October 19, 2022 John Torenli, Sports Editor

Henry Haferkorn and the LIU Sharks will try to reclaim their spot atop the NEC standings this weekend when they host Sacred Heart. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

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Picked to finish first overall in the regular season and represent the Northeast Conference in the NCAAs next month, the Long Island University Sharks suddenly find themselves looking up at first place.

Mired in a season-high three-game winless slide, the Sharks (9-4-1, 3-2-1 NEC) will look to start swimming upstream again when they host Sacred Heart at LIU Soccer Park on Sunday.

After winning seven in a row to jump to the top of the standings and riding junior striker Emil Jaaskelainen’s NCAA-best eight-match goals streak through the early part of the NEC schedule, LIU has gone 0-2-1 since Oct. 9, slipping three points behind first-place Fairleigh Dickinson (4-0-1 NEC).

The visiting Knights made sure of that by blanking the Sharks, 1-0, last Sunday behind Fallou Tounkara’s tally in the 16th minute before a crowd of 175 in Brookville, N.Y.

Jaaskelainen, who has gone consecutive matches without a goal for the first time this year, was held to one shot during LIU’s second straight defeat.

Gianluca Cersosimo made a pair of saves for the Sharks, who held a 9-6 advantage in shots but never got one past FDU goalie Spencer King.

Brooklyn native Khaled Abdella scored, but the Terriers dropped a 2-1 decision at SFU last Sunday. Photo courtesy of SFC Brooklyn Athletics

The Terriers of St. Francis Brooklyn had a seven-game unbeaten streak (5-0-2) snapped last Sunday in Loretto, Pennsylvania, dropping a 2-1 decision to St. Francis University.

Bay Ridge native and Fort Hamilton High School alum Khaled Abdella got the Terriers (6-4-3, 2-2-1) even in the 74th minute, heading home a redirect from Billy Pavlou.

But Milan Djajic answered in the 86th for the Red Flash (5-5-2, 2-2-1), who climbed into a third-place tie with the Terriers.

Alec McLachlan made three saves for SFC, which fell to 0-1-2 since a season-high five-game winning streak.

The Terriers will try to get back on track Sunday and perhaps even do the rival Sharks a favor when they host conference-leading FDU at Brooklyn Bridge Park on Sunday.

SFC is a perfect 5-0 at BBP this year and will host LIU in the annual regular season-ending showdown on Nov. 3.

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On the ladies’ side, LIU suffered a 3-0 blanking at FDU in Teaneck, N.J., last Thursday, but remained in the sixth and final NEC Tournament spot with two games to play.

Kayla DeTreux stopped five shots for the Sharks (4-9-3, 2-3-2), who have a three-point lead on Wagner entering Sunday’s visit to SFU.

LIU will visit SFC on Oct. 27 in the regular-season finale.

Taylor Curcio will try to help the LIU Sharks nail down an NEC postseason berth when they visit SFU on Sunday. Photo courtesy of LIU Athletics

The Terriers had their winless streak stretched to 10 and lost their sixth in a row Sunday at Howard, falling 2-1 despite a second-half goal from Lauren Taylor.

Klil Keshwar made eight saves for SFC (1-9-3, 0-6), which will host St. Francis University here Thursday afternoon before visiting Stonehill on Sunday.

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Freshman Brooklyn College midfielder Benedick Augustin earned CUNYAC Rookie of the Week honors Monday after scoring a pair of goals to help the Bulldogs earn a win over York and a draw vs. John Jay on Senior Day.

Augustin’s goals were the first of his career at BC. The Bulldogs will close out the regular season Saturday vs. Medgar Evers at Kingsborough Community College.