Brooklyn, N.Y. – The Long Island University women’s soccer team opened Northeast Conference play with an emphatic 4-0 win over Wagner on Friday night at LIU Field. The Blackbirds got goals from four different players to win for the fifth straight game and extend their seven-game unbeaten streak, while improving to 7-1-1 overall on the year.

 

Wagner opened the game with the first scoring chance when Jackie Nicholas had a shot from the top of the 18-yard box, but her attempt sailed high. The Blackbirds took control from there and Toni Smith cracked the scoring column in the 12th minute when she took a feed from senior Brittany Schandelmayer and buried a shot inside the left post. Smith’s goal marked the third straight contest she scored the game-winning marker in the first 15 minutes.

 

LIU continued to pressure the Seahawks defense and extended its lead midway through the half after Schandelmayer had her shot deflected off the post and the rebound came to the foot of sophomore Nikki Labo, who calmly booted home her third goal of the game.

 

Long Island, which outshot Wagner 16-8, tacked on two more goals after halftime. The third goal came from junior Ariana Calderon who finished a nice combination off a corner kick. Junior Sarah Laughlin sent a corner kick to the far post where senior Kayleigh Morgan headed the ball back across the face of the goal where Calderon got a foot to the ball for a 3-0 lead. LIU finished off the scoring in the 71st minute when Laughlin booted home a loose ball off a corner kick from junior Jessica Roelant.

 

Freshman Jessica Sexton, who leads the NCAA in goals against average, started in goal for LIU and made four saves in the first half before being relieved by sophomore Jennifer Bannon for the final 21 minutes. The pair combined for the sixth shutout of the season. Katie Marcy made nine saves for the Seahawks.

 

The Blackbirds return to action on Friday, Oct. 1, when they host Central Connecticut State on LIU Field to kick off Alumni Weekend.