LIU women defeat Iona

Brooklyn, N.Y. – A second-half marker by junior Samantha Hoak (South Park, Pa.) lifted the Long Island University women’s soccer team to a 1-0 win over Iona in the 2009 season-opener at LIU Field. The victory marked the 10th in a row for the Blackbirds on their home turf dating back to the start of the 2008 season.

 

The game-winner came with just under 20 minutes to play after the Blackbirds’ attack pushed into the last third of the field. Iona failed to possess a loose ball that squirted to a wide-open Hoak on the right side of the 18-yard box where she ripped off a low shot that settled just inside the near post to break the deadlock and give LIU all the offense it would need.

 

The LIU defense managed to fend off the Gaels’ attempts to tie. Iona’s best chance to equalize came on a counter-attack in the 74th minute when Carly Villanova got a shot from the left win, but freshman Jennifer Bannon (East Greenwich, R.I.) made the save. Bannon finished the night with two saves to collect the shutout in her collegiate debut.

 

The teams were level at the intermission, but the opening half featured scoring chances by both sides. The Gaels had the first chance in the eighth minute off a corner kick, but a sprawling Bannon managed to turn away a header. The Blackbirds regrouped and looked to be the more dangerous offense the remainder of the period.

 

The forward pairing of junior Kayleigh Morgan (Harlow, England) and sophomore Ariana Calderon (Sacramento, Calif.) were able to start running at the Iona backline and in the 22nd minute junior Caitlin Meadows (Brookdale, Calif.) ripped off a low line drive from distance that was turned away by Kelly Mahoney for one of her five saves on the evening.

 

The Blackbirds return to action at LIU Field against Buffalo at Noon on Sunday, Aug. 30.

 

Scoring Summary

                                    1    2   F

Iona (1-1-0)                  0    0 -- 0

Long Island (1-0-0)        0    1 -- 1

 

69:26    LIU      S. Hoak