College Beat: Blackbirds get back on track with win over Wagner

October 3, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff
By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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The defending Northeast Conference champion women’s soccer team from LIU-Brooklyn was in desperate need of a victory Sunday afternoon at LIU Field, having gone winless in its previous four matches (0-2-2) and still seeking its first league victory.

Thanks to goals from seniors Toni Smith, Evelyn Calderon and freshman Mariana Ruas, the Blackbirds (3-7-2 overall) got NEC win No. 1 with a 3-0 triumph over Wagner to cap a successful Alumni Weekend for coach Tracey Bartholomew’s squad.

After being held scoreless in their previous two matches, including Friday’s double-overtime deadlock with NEC rival Quinnipiac, the Blackbirds got off the schneid quickly Sunday as Smith drove home a corner kick from junior Shino Kunisawa in the 10th minute.

Calderon unleashed a 25-footer from the left side to make it 2-0 just five minutes later, and Ruas dribbled one past Wagner netminder Maureen Vetter in the 39th minute to cap the scoring.

Senior Jennifer Bannon and junior Jessica Sexton split time in goal for LIU, which posted its second shutout win of the season. The Blackbirds will return to action Friday at Bryant in Smithfield, R.I.

The Blackbird men (2-7-1) also snapped a four-game winless skid (0-3-1) with Sunday afternoon’s 1-0 home victory over Mount St. Mary.

Freshman Jovane Langley scored off an assist from senior Rob Schroback for LIU, which will look to win its second straight Sunday against Quinnipiac at LIU Field.

The LIU women’s volleyball team swept past neighborhood rival St. Francis in straight sets Sunday, improving to 3-0 in NEC play and 10-7 overall.

Sophomore Annika Foit and freshman Tamara Ignjic had a team-high 12 kills each for the Blackbirds, who head to St. Francis (Pa.) on Saturday and Robert Morris on Sunday.

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Over on Remsen Street, the St. Francis men’s soccer team had a four-game unbeaten streak snapped with a 3-2 loss to Quinnipiac on Sunday at Brooklyn’s Aviator Sports Complex.

Senior captain Adam Maabdi had both goals for the Terriers, who were enjoying a 3-1-1 stretch before their first defeat since a 3-2 setback at George Mason on Sept. 9.

Coach Tom Giovatto’s returns to the pitch Friday at Robert Morris in Moon Township, Pa.

The St. Francis water polo team made some headway during its weekend in Southern California, defeating UC-Davis and Princeton to secure a 13th-place finish at the prestigious gathering of the top programs in the nation.

Sophomore Vuk Vujosevic had four goals, including the game-winner with just under two minutes remaining, against the Tigers on Sunday evening.

The Terriers will host MIT in Brooklyn Heights on Saturday.

After dropping its first three matches, the St. Francis men’s tennis squad notched its first victory of the season Sunday in Staten Island, knocking off NEC rival Wagner, 6-1.

Tita Mba, Francesc Terns-Campius, Ricardo Garcia, Alexander Tokarz and Evan Vrsaliko each posted singles wins for the Terriers (1-3).

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Brooklyn native Shani Abrahams is having quite a debut season with the first-ever Brooklyn College women’s soccer team.Brooklyn's own Shani Abrahams scored both goals in the BC Bulldogs' 2-0 victory over NYU-Poly last week.  Photo by Damion Reid

Abrahams scored both goals in BC’s 2-0 victory over NYU-Poly on Sept. 24 to cop CUNYAC Rookie of the Week honors for the second straight time. The sophomore defender and tri-captain will lead the Bulldogs into the Aviator Sports Complex Thursday afternoon for a matchup with league rival York College.

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Allen Rohr and Masato Anzai both scored as NYU-Poly ended a 210-minute goal drought during a 3-0 blanking of visiting John Jay on Saturday night at Aviator Sports Complex.

The Skyline Conference announded Monday that freshman Alyssa Niquette has been selected as the conference’s Rookie of the Week. She is the first NYU-Poly women’s volleyball player to receive an award this season.

Niquette had an outstanding week at setter, tallying 99 assists during a four game weekend tournament at Steven’s Institute of Technology.

She has played in all 70 of the teams games this season, averaging 6.16 assists per game.

After 30 years of service, Maureen Braziel stepped down as Athletic Director at NYU-Poly last Friday.  Photo courtesy of NYU-Poly AthleticsNYU-Poly also announced this week that longtime athletic director Maureen Braziel retired last Friday after 30 years at the Downtown Brooklyn school, including the last 19 in which she served as the Jays’ AD.

“Maureen has truly served as the foundation for NYU-Poly’s athletics programs, and her countless contributions will forever be a part of the experience of every student-athlete who wears the Fighting Blue Jays uniform,” said Skyline commissioner Linda Bruno. “Maureen is much more than a pioneer….she is the heart and soul of a program which has always done things the right way. She is our conscious and will be missed by the Skyline Conference and intercollegiate athletics. It has been an honor and a privilege to work with Maureen.”

The lifelong Brooklyn resident is relocating to Las Vegas.
 

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