Women's Soccer Set to Host Northeast Conference Tournament Tomorrow

11/2/06 -- For the first time in program history, the Long Island University women's soccer team won the Northeast Conference regular season championship and will host the NEC Tournament this weekend, starting Friday, Nov. 3.

The Blackbirds will face No. 4 seed Sacred Heart at 11:00 a.m. and will be followed by the second semifinal matchup featuring No. 3 Central Connecticut State and No. 2 seed Monmouth at 1:30 p.m.

Long Island went 8-1 in the conference, with six of the eight wins coming in shutout fashion. Senior goalie Stephanie Kansky (Bellevue, Wash.), classmate Ashley O'Connor (Venetia, Pa.) and junior Catie Black (Southbridge, Mass.) lead an LIU defense that has allowed just three goals in nine NEC contests.

Offensively, the Blackbirds have a plethora of weapons to choose from. Freshman Aly Hanson (New Milford, N.J.) leads the squad with eight goals, while junior Caley Troutman (South Park, Pa.) ranks second on the team with five.

Seniors Allison Andreano (Denville, N.J.), Selima Berisha (Bellevue, Wash.) and Lizelle Jackson (Burbank, Calif.) each have four goals this season, with Andreano adding four assists to rank her second on the squad.

Earlier this season, LIU defeated Sacred Heart, 1-0, in Fairfield, Conn. Berisha scored the game's only goal, pushing her career game-winning goal total to 11, just one shy of LIU's all-time mark.