The Fairleigh Dickinson University women's soccer team will begin Northeast Conference competition on Saturday, Sept. 24, with a matchup against Long Island University. Kickoff at LIU field is scheduled for 4:00 pm.
The Knights are 3-3-1 on the season, having produced the most wins the program has seen in three years with ten games left to play. Most recently, the Knights fell to St. Joseph's University but will be looking to improve their record and start conference play with a win.
FDU has seen goals from four different players this season, Rashidah Sherman (Pelham Manor, NY/Pelham Memorial), Lindzy Williams (Washington Township, N.J./Westwood), Kasey Schiavoni (West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) and Lisa-Marie Curti (Richmond Hill, Ontario/St. Theresa of Lisieux). Sherman, Williams and Maureen O'Connell have also added assists for the Knights.
Sage DoVale (Lilburn, Ga./Collins Hill), a previous NEC defensive player of the week, leads the Knights' defense. DoVale has recorded 29 saves in six games with a save percentage of .806.
The Blackbirds of LIU went 3-5 in nonconference play this season. They started the year with a Southern California swing that saw losses to Cal State Fullerton, Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine.
Since then, the Blackbirds recorded wins over Harvard, Stony Brook and NJIT and dropped games to Columbia and Hartford. FDU produced similar results against NJIT and Hartford.
As defending regular season champions, Long Island was predicted to finish third in the NEC in the preseason coaches' poll. Offensively, they are led by senior Ariana Calderon and sophomore Jen Spicer, who each have netted two goals on the season.
Junior goal keeper Jennifer Bannon leads the Blackbirds defensively with 33 saves in eight games. Bannon has recorded a .750 save percentage and was named the NEC defensive player of the week on two occasions this season.
The Knights have faced LIU each year in NEC play but have not defeated the Blackbirds since 2004.
FDU will continue conference play next weekend with two home games. They will take on Quinnipiac on Friday, Sept. 30 at 7:00 pm and Central Connecticut State University on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 1:00 pm.
