TEANECK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson men’s soccer team held on for a 2-1 victory over LIU Brooklyn Friday night at University Stadium in the Northeast Conference opener for both teams. With the victory, the Knights break a season-high three-match losing streak and improve to 4-4-1 (1-0-0 NEC) on the season, while the Blackbirds fall to 1-7-1 (0-1-1) overall.

Junior goalkeeper Jacob Lissek came up large in the second half with four big saves including two inside the six yard line, which prevented sure goals for LIU. With FDU leading 2-1, Lissek made his first save inside the six in the 57th on a shot by Tanner Sica. After back-to-back tough saves off a pair of Blackbirds’ free kicks just outside the 18 yard line within a minute and a half of each other, Lissek made a ridiculous safe at the end of the 77th minute on a shot by Nahuel Medina, which then deflected off the far post and out of bounds.

The Knights started out sluggish over the first 15 minutes of the match but gained some life after senior Jack McVey scored on a penalty kick in the 26th minute to give them a 1-0 lead. The penalty kick was awarded because of a hand ball in the box, and the goal was McVey’s fourth of the season.

In the 35th minute, senior Antony Moore delivered a perfect cross to his fellow countryman McVey, who volleyed the ball into the back of the net for his fifth goal on the year and extended the lead to 2-0.

FDU had somewhat of a defensive breakdown in the 42nd minute as Sica found himself all alone approximately 35 yards out and drilled a shot into the upper left corner of the net, which Lissek had no chance to save, cutting the lead to 2-1 as that would be the score going into halftime.

The Knights outshot the LIU 10-3 over the first 45 minutes. Three of the 10 attempts were on goal.

The second half was much more of a dogfight between the two teams. The difference over the final 45 minutes was Lissek’s goalkeeping. FDU still outshot the Blackbirds 6-4 in the second half and finished the match with a 16-7 advantage in shots. LIU finished with eight corner kicks to the Knights’ four.

Lissek made all four of his saves in the second half and improved his overall record to 4-2-1. Nathan Stockie made six saves for the Blackbirds in the losing effort.

“It was a good win tonight against a scrappy and determined LIU team,” Head Coach Seth Roland said. “I thought at times we played great soccer, and overall, we competed hard. Jacob was tremendous for us in goal and played fantastic between the pipes tonight. Jack is a big player for us, and when he plays like that it makes us a better team. It was good to come away with three points to open conference play.”

FDU will have a week off before traveling down the Garden State Parkway to take on rival Monmouth on Friday, Oct. 5 in a key NEC showdown. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. in West Long Branch, N.J.

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