NEC Top 12 Games of 2012: #1

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012:

#1 – MBB: St. Francis Brooklyn at LIU Brooklyn, 2012 Battle of Brooklyn (LIU 81-78) – 2/12/12

For over three decades, basketball has been the bread and butter of the Northeast Conference. Memories and moments from NEC basketball have defined the league over the years, and are images that frequently get shown and remembered quite often, both during television broadcasts and online. It was fitting that the year started back in January with former Indiana Pacer and two-time NEC Player of the Year Rik Smits, and the winningest head coach in NEC history, Tom Green, both earning induction into the NEC Hall of Fame.  On the court, 2012 would see three men’s teams (LIU-Brooklyn, Robert Morris, and Wagner) finish with 25 or more victories, and also see three teams (LIU-Brooklyn, Robert Morris, and Quinnipiac) advance to the postseason. It was the second time ever that the NEC sent three teams into postseason tournaments. The conference year would eventually end with another one of those memorable images, Spike Lee cheering on the Blackbirds as they wrapped up their second straight NEC Championship and NCAA Tournament automatic berth in front of a national TV audience. However, it was just about a month prior to the trophy being raised, on the very same Wellness, Recreation, and Athletic Center court in Brooklyn, in which the defining game of all NEC games in 2012 would be played…

The Battle of Brooklyn is an annual rivalry game between the NEC’s two Brooklyn based schools, LIU Brooklyn and St. Francis Brooklyn, which started back in 1975-76 season. For the last 36 years the two schools, located about a mile of Brooklyn streets apart, have been getting together for the Battle of Brooklyn trophy. It’s been in just the last few that the rivalry has really heated up. Over the last 10 Battle of Brooklyn games, each team had managed to win five. In 2010, the game went into triple overtime, before St. Francis squeaked out an 88-84 win. In the 2011 matchup, overtime appeared to be in the cards again, but C.J. Garner had other ideas, making a game winning, last second shot for an 82-80 win that brought bragging rights back to the LIU campus. The Blackbirds victory in 2011 extended their all-time Battle of Brooklyn series lead to 20-16.

Scheduled for just two days in front of Valentine’s Day, there was certainly no love lost in the 2012 'Battle'. The stage was set for LIU and St. Francis to renew pleasantries once again, this time in front of the NEC’s television cameras at the WRAC. The Blackbirds came in at 12-1 in conference, and as the defending champs. LIU-Brooklyn had also managed to win 21 straight games in their home nest, the third largest win streak in the nation at that point. On the other side, St. Francis was in the midst of  a special season under head coach Glenn Braica. The Terriers had already equaled their conference win total from all of 2010, and were winners of nine of their last 11 games overall.

The game would flow just as you would expect the game to go. It was a hard fought, physical battle. The contest featured an amazing 12 ties and 12 lead changes with neither team able to gain much separation from the other. The Terriers biggest lead was seven, while LIU led by as many as nine.

Halfway through the first half, the Blackbirds would find themselves just up by a single point, 25-24. Off of a steal by C.J. Garner, the junior guard led a two on one fastbreak up the floor, finding teammate Julian Boyd for a thundering, one handed, ally-oop dunk. The slam was so ridiculous that it prompted NEC-TV play-by-play announcer Dave Popkin to exclaim, “Are you kidding me?” on his call of the play. Terrier junior Akeem Johnson led a small charge, scoring seven points over the next four minutes, helping to pull St. Francis back in front, and eventually take a 42-40 lead into halftime. Johnson would have 17 points at the intermission.

With just under 12 minutes to go in the second half, Sportscenter would receive a Top 10 play nominee as Olasewere intercepted a St. Francis pass and then raced all alone on a breakaway to the opposite side of the floor where he thew down a thunderous, one handed, "Showtime" dunk, bringing the WRAC into a frenzy.

Then, with just over six minutes remaining in the game, Coach Ferry’s crew found themselves up by eight, 70-62. The Terriers would unleash an 8-0 run over the next two minutes to draw even. Travis Nichols hit a three, Johnson followed with a layup after an offensive rebound, and Nichols again came up clutch from downtown, tying the game at 70 with just 4:10 to go. With LIU over the  foul limit, a Julian Boyd foul after a missed three by Culpo sent Ben Mockford to the stripe, who made a pair, giving the Terriers their first lead in almost ten minutes. Nichols would add another three, pulling St. Francis in front 75-70 inside of three minutes.

With St. Francis in front 77-74 in the final minute of play, Olasewere received a handoff from Brickman at the top of the key. Seeing a small opening, Olasewere drove aggressively straight through the lane to the basket, sinking a layup and drawing a foul. He would complete the three point play with a make from stripe, knotting the game up at 77 all. With just 30 seconds remaining, Olasewere, who scored a game high 32 points, committed his fifth foul. Johnson would only make one of the two free throws, giving St. Francis Brooklyn a 78-77 edge. Off the inbounds, Brickman crossed the timeline and moved to his left, feeding Boyd in the lane. Boyd received the pass, spun around, and knocked in a go-head jumper from about 10 feet away on the NEC logo. With just 18.9 seconds to spare, the Terriers crossed over into their half court, and fed their leading scorer Johnson on the right elbow with his back to the basket. As precious seconds were expiring, Garner came from behind to try and pry the ball loose. Johnson felt the pressure coming and started his move to the basket. With Boyd guarding him, Johnson momentarily lost control of the ball, regained possession, but then committed one too many steps, causing a traveling violation turnover with just 1.2 seconds left to play.

After a Terriers timeout, they would commit a foul with 0.8 to go. Garner stepped to the line and knocked down two free throws to put the Blackbirds ahead 81-78. Still a one possession game, the Terriers had one last chance to tie. Jalen Canon would inbound to Johnson in the center of the floor about 30-35 feet away from the basket. Johnson had a good look but the shot was late, and off the mark in any case. The Blackbirds would capture their second straight Battle of Brooklyn and the #1 NEC game of 2012, 81-78.

Olasewere would take home 2012 Battle of Brooklyn Most Valuable Player trophy with a career high 32 points, going a perfect 11 for 11 from the floor. Julian Boyd would finish with a double-double, 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Jason Brickman added 12 assists. Akeem Johnson recorded 23 points to lead St. Francis.

NEC-TV play-by-play announcer Dave Popkin, who was on the call for this game with his longtime tag team partner Tim Capstraw, recently commented on what made this particular game so unique and special: “I remember that the game was played at a very high level of intensity. LIU was down much of the game and had to show a lot of grit to come back. There were plays in that game from Julian Boyd, Jamal Olasewere, Jason Brickman, Ben Mockford, and Akeem Johnson that you don’t normally see in the NEC – alley oop jams, tough ‘and-ones’, fade away jumpers. The game was played at a very high level and I think it was one of those touchstone moments where you say the league has really taken a noticeable step forward in regards to talent and excitement.”

2012 has truly been an amazing 366 days in the Northeast Conference. There have been so many amazing team and individual efforts and accomplishments that made creating a list such as this very difficult to do. Now that the reminiscing is through, we can all look ahead to what appears to be an even more promising year in store for the NEC in 2013. Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!

P.S. One might want to set their calendar for Sunday, February 10, 2013, a noon tip at the Barclays Center for the 2013 Battle of Brooklyn game. Going off the body of work that these two rivals have against each other in these games over the last three years, this year's 'Battle' may very well end up being a top candidate once again for game of the year when we reconvene next December to discuss the Top 13 of 2013!

Box Score

LIU Brooklyn Game Recap

St. Francis Brooklyn Game Recap

Battle of Brooklyn Highlights

 

Previous Top 12 NEC Games of 2012:

#2 – SOFT: Quinnipiac vs. Robert Morris (QU 4-3, 12 innings) – 5/11/12

#3 – MSOC: Fairleigh Dickinson vs. St. Francis (FDU 1-1, 6-5 in PK) – 11/11/12

#4 – BOWL: Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Nebraska (FDU 4-3) – 4/13/12

#5 – FH: Monmouth vs. Rider, NEC Field Hockey Championship (RID 3-2) – 11/3/12

#6 – FB: Central Connecticut State at Robert Morris (RMU 37-31) – 10/20/12

#7 – MLAX: Mount St. Mary’s vs. Robert Morris (MSM 16-15, OT) – 5/4/12

#8 – SWIM: Day Four of the NEC Swimming Championships (SFU 748-747) – 2/25/12

#9 – BASE: Wagner at Fairleigh Dickinson (FDU 4-3, 12 innings) – 4/7/12

#10 - WSOC: LIU-Brooklyn vs. St. Francis, 2012 NEC Women’s Soccer Final (LIU 1-0) – 11/4/12

#11 – WVB: Robert Morris at Sacred Heart (SHU 3-2) – 10/13/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: Central Connecticut State at St. Francis (SFU 86-83, 2OT) – 2/20/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: LIU-Brooklyn at Monmouth (MU 55-54) – 2/25/12

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012: #2

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012:

#2 – SOFT: Quinnipiac vs. Robert Morris (QU 4-3, 12 innings) – 5/11/12

Over the course of compiling this list, I realized what separates a good game, from a great game, from a “top 12 game of the year” game. It isn’t necessarily just about a buzzer beater, or last minute dramatics being involved. No, the separation comes from within storylines. Everyone loves a good story, especially one that is strong enough to captivate the average person and get them emotionally invested in the journey that the characters are taking. In the 2012 NEC Softball Championships, a wonderful story played itself out. A story which captivated just about everyone who was in attendance in Moon Township, and many who had a chance to watch the event online.  In the fifth game of the tournament, an elimination game with a trip to the finals on the line, Quinnipiac met Robert Morris. As Robert Morris freshman pitcher Nicole Sleith tossed the first pitch toward home plate to get the event started at approximately 3:20 in the afternoon, no one could have imagined what they would be in for. Unfolding that afternoon would be a roller coaster story where past history collided with the present performance, where amazing also met up with ridiculous, and where the second best NEC game of the entire 2012 calendar year was just warming up...

First the back story…In 2011, the Quinnipiac Bobcats and Robert Morris Colonials met up in the exact same situation: Game 5, elimination game, winner advances to the finals. Trailing 3-2 in the top of the 6^th, just five outs away from elimination, Jacqueline Ristow and Mina Duffy blasted back to back home runs to but the Bobcats in front 4-3. Quinnipiac would finish out the game, sending the Colonials packing, and advancing to the finals against Sacred Heart. However, it wouldn't exactly be that easy. The entire tournament had been set back by a series of rain delays in Moon Township, PA throughout the weekend. Immediately after the Robert Morris win, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart began their final, getting to the fourth inning with Sacred Heart in front 3-2 before play had to be halted due to darkness. When the teams returned the next morning set to resume their final, the field was ruled unplayable. Due to the Pioneers going 2-0 in their first two tournament games while the Bobcats went 2-1 in the tournament to that point, Sacred Heart was awarded the NEC’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. The Bobcats endured a long ride back to Hamden without a title, and yet without having tasted defeat in their final game.

Irony filled the air as Robert Morris would once again serve as the top seed in 2012, meaning the Bobcats were forced to return to the ‘scene of the crime.’ Irony also arose after LIU-Brooklyn defeated Robert Morris 1-0 on the day’s opener, sending the Colonials to Game 5, while the Bobcats followed up by surviving an elimination game against Monmouth 4-1. Ace pitcher Heather Schwartzburg threw a complete seven innings in the victory, her 19^th of the season. It would set up, for the second straight year, the Bobcats and Colonials in a winner take all game for the right to advance to the final. This time there would be no issues with the field or weather.

The final out of the QU/MU game was recorded at 2:24pm. Just 56 minutes later the first pitch of the QU/RMU game was thrown. The short time period in between games meant that Schwartzburg wouldn’t be available to start after having just pitched seven innings. Meanwhile, on the other side, Sleith had over three hours to rest and recover from her start earlier in the day against the Blackbirds.

Katie Alfiere would get the starting nod in the circle for Quinnipiac, holding the Colonials scoreless through the first two innings. In the top of the third, the Bobcat bats came alive, getting their first three hitters on board and loading the bases with nobody out. Alex Alba singled to left center, plating Lauren Salgado for the first run of the game. Two batters later, Nikki Barba singled to drive in Christy Cabrera, giving Quinnipiac a 2-0 lead. Later on, with the bases still loaded, Kourtney Kesses was hit by a pitch to bring in a third run. In the bottom of the third, the Colonials had two on with one out when Bobcat head coach Germaine Fairchild made the move to bring back Schwartzburg into the circle. It would take a while for her to get settled in, as a pair of wild pitches first allowed the baserunners to advance, and then allowed one run to come in, cutting the Colonial deficit to 3-1. From there, Schwartzburg would get into a zone, retiring eight straight batters to get the game to the bottom of the 6^th with Quinnipiac still up by two.

The home half of the 6^th is where things started to get interesting.  The Colonials had runners on at second and third with two out and Maritza Jimenez pinch hitting. Jimenez would reach on a throwing error plating an unearned run. We then got into a situation where a Colonial runner was called safe at first on a bang-bang play, while replays appeared to show that the runner was out. The Bobcats believed that the inning was over. However after a lengthy argument and discussion, the umpires ruled the runner safe, extending the frame an extra batter. Chelsea Evans would come in to pinch run at first, and would try to take off for second, drawing a throw from Bobcats catcher Ashley Heiberger. On that cue, Allie Patton stole home on a perfectly executed double steal to knot the game up at three runs apiece.

The next five innings would be scoreless, with each team seeing wasted opportunities go by. RMU left two on base in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, all with a chance to walk off with the game. The Colonials would strand 15 overall baserunners on the day. With one out in the tenth, the Colonials inserted Geena Bodolato into the contest, relieving Sleith, who went 9.1 innings, scattering 12 hits, allowing 3 runs, with just one walk and eight strikeouts.

In the top of the 12^th, the Bobcats finally broke through. With runners on at second and third and just one out, Heiberger, who caught a full seven inning game, caught the bullpen warmups, and then in under an hour break went right back out to catch all 11 innings to this point of this game, stepped up to the plate. Heiberger skied a fly ball to center field, plenty deep to score Alba from third, giving the Bobcats a 4-3 lead.

The Colonials had one last chance power drive in the bottom of the 12^th, trying to avoid another heartbreak on their home field. Schwartzburg, who had to be running on fumes and/or pure adrenaline at this point, walked the first batter, but then managed to retire the second and third batters on fielder’s choice ground outs. Katrina Gallagher would step to the plate representing the winning run for Robert Morris, but also representing the final out. Schwartzburg would induce a simple groundout, ending the marathon and ending the Colonials season for the second straight year.

NEC Front Row announcer Danny Breslauer was on the call with me for all three hours and nine minutes of this game had he recalled the following from that special May afternoon in Moon Township: “12 innings is a long, long game in softball. Both teams had truly gutty performances. There were a few bang-bang calls that I thought Pack Network did a great job of showing us, so that built the drama even more because they went against QU. Germaine Fairchild managed an outstanding game, and Heather Schwartzburg was nasty in long relief, but Ashley Heiberger was what this game was all about. Catching for the better part of three-plus hours and still having enough left in the tank for a game-winning sac fly was awesome."

This marathon marked the longest game in NEC Softball Championship history both in length (12 innings) and in time (3:09). Heather Schwartzburg earned her 20^th win of the season, in relief, on 9.2IP of 7H ball, allowing just 2 unearned runs allowed while striking out 11 Colonials. The next day, the Bobcats would finally get to play their championship game without any cancellation or interruption, falling to LIU-Brooklyn 10-5.

To wrap things up, Danny Breslauer may have said it best, "That was quite a weekend in Moon Township. LIU-Brooklyn was the best team there, and I think we knew that from the start, but that elimination game stole the show... and then some."

Box Score

NEC Game Recap

QU Game Recap

Robert Morris Game Recap

NEC Highlights

 

Previous Top 12 NEC Games of 2012:

#3 – MSOC: Fairleigh Dickinson vs. St. Francis (FDU 1-1, 6-5 in PK) – 11/11/12

#4 – BOWL: Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Nebraska (FDU 4-3) – 4/13/12

#5 – FH: Monmouth vs. Rider, NEC Field Hockey Championship (RID 3-2) – 11/3/12

#6 – FB: Central Connecticut State at Robert Morris (RMU 37-31) – 10/20/12

#7 – MLAX: Mount St. Mary’s vs. Robert Morris (MSM 16-15, OT) – 5/4/12

#8 – SWIM: Day Four of the NEC Swimming Championships (SFU 748-747) – 2/25/12

#9 – BASE: Wagner at Fairleigh Dickinson (FDU 4-3, 12 innings) – 4/7/12

#10 - WSOC: LIU-Brooklyn vs. St. Francis, 2012 NEC Women’s Soccer Final (LIU 1-0) – 11/4/12

#11 – WVB: Robert Morris at Sacred Heart (SHU 3-2) – 10/13/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: Central Connecticut State at St. Francis (SFU 86-83, 2OT) – 2/20/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: LIU-Brooklyn at Monmouth (MU 55-54) – 2/25/12

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012: #3

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012:

#3 – MSOC: Fairleigh Dickinson vs. St. Francis (FDU 1-1, 6-5 in PK) – 11/11/12

Just over a decade ago, Northeast Conference men’s soccer was dominated by Fairleigh Dickinson. Head Coach Seth Roland led his Knights to four straight conference titles to start off the 21^st century. The incredible run of success included a march to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2001. After FDU was denied a fifth straight crown in the 2004 final against LIU, the balance of power in NEC men’s soccer began to shift down the Garden State Parkway to West Long Branch, NJ. Rob McCourt arrived on campus as the Monmouth Hawks head men's soccer coach and turned the program around, winning seven straight regular season titles from 2005-2011, and leading the Hawks to four NEC Tournament titles. While FDU was able to capture a tournament title in 2008, the one puzzle they still hadn’t managed to figure out was the Monmouth Hawks.

Entering the 2012 NEC Championships, the Hawks had gone over eight years without a defeat to FDU. Monmouth had also ended the Knights season each of the prior four seasons since the 2008 championship, including a thrilling 2011 final where Monmouth scored the championship winning goal in double overtime, just 20 seconds shy of penalty kicks. The heartbreaking loss served as fuel and motivation for the Knights coming into 2012 to finish what they started last year, and make something special happen with their special group of talent.

During the 2012 regular year, the Knights challenged for the top spot in the conference all season long. FDU went unbeaten in October, going 4-0-3, allowing only one goal in conference play during that stretch. Monmouth and FDU would play to a scoreless tie, further extending Monmouth’s unbeaten string against the Knights. On the final day of the regular season, FDU would find themselves playing for the regular season championship head to head against Quinnipiac. After allowing only five goals in conference play all season, Quinnipiac tallied three against FDU on this afternoon, winning in shutout fashion to earn the regular season crown and hosting duties for the 2012 NEC Championships.

Of course, when the final standings were tallied, the seeds were awarded, and the semi-final matchups were announced, the Knights saw in front of them that the path to the finals would once again have to go through the Monmouth Hawks. These two rivals picked up right where they left off the year before, playing to a 1-1 draw after 110 minutes. This time the game would be decided in PK’s with Jan Aubert scoring the clinching strike past Alex Blackburn to finally, after 2,945 days, allowed FDU to taste the joys of victory in a head to head game against the Monmouth Hawks, and return to the finals in the process. There they would meet a St. Francis Red Flash team that was in the midst of an amazing run of their own. Despite only holding the lead for about 2% of their entire season, head coach Michael Casper guided the Red Flash into the top four and past top-seeded Quinnipiac in the semi-final round. On Sunday, November 11^th, The Knights and the Red Flash would take to the pitch at West Haven High School in Connecticut to decide a new NEC champion. They would end up not just taking the final as far as you can possibly go, they took the final beyond where you can possibly go, securing a place as the #3 Top NEC Game of 2012…

The Knights and Flash had played to a scoreless draw in the regular season, but in this showdown with a conference title on the line, it only took ten minutes to crack the scoreless seal. Off a corner kick served into the box by senior Jack McVey, it was Nicholas Walker who got a piece of the ball and headed it past the Flash keeper to give FDU an early 1-0 lead. Looking for more, later on, freshman Simon Doherty had a breakaway opportunity, but was denied by 1^st team All-NEC goalie Daniel Valcicak, who make two amazing saves.

Despite only scoring in nine games, while being held scoreless in 12 games, all season, St. Francis was poised to somehow find the back of the net and the equalizer. With just under 90 seconds to go until halftime, SFU’s Nick Kolarac threaded a corner kick through the box and toward the nearside post, where 6’4” James Price, used every one of those inches to leap above the rest of the pack, heading a ball that bounced off the far side post and into the net, to tie the game at 1-1.

Both teams would see scoring opportunities in the second half, including FDU’s Antony Moore striking the post on a shot from the right side just 10 minutes after the intermission. Five minutes later, Kolarac had a run up the right side, but saw his shot denied by a diving Jacob Lissek. In a final second scramble in regulation, McVey fed the ball in the air again toward Walker, who just missed heading the ball inside the far post as time expired.  

The best scoring opportunity sequence in the bonus sessions came from St. Francis with 3:20 to go in the second overtime. Off a corner from Kolarac, Ryan Byers hit the post, followed by Price lifting the rebound inches high of the crossbar.

After 110 minutes of soccer, nothing had been settled, sending the 2012 NEC Championship Match into penalty kicks. In the PK’s each team would miss one of their first two attempts, but would make their next four straight. The championship match had not only been extended past the usual 110 minutes, but now extended past the usual five rounds of penalties. In the top of the sixth round, Nico Wright snuck one past Valcicak to put FDU up 6-5. In the bottom of the sixth, David Trunzo needed to score for SFU to keep the competition going. Trunzo shot the ball on the ground to the left, where Jacob Lissek dove and smothered the ball right in front of the goal line, securing Fairleigh Dickinson’s record seventh tournament title, and first since 2008. Lissek was named the NEC Tournament MVP.

FDU’s magical run back to the top of the mountain would continue into the NCAA Tournament. The Knights would first visit Queens, NY to take on St. John’s, and would escape with a 1-0 win. From there it was a plane ride down to St. Louis to meet the Billikens in the Round of 32. In what was considered as another NEC Game of the Year candidate, the Knights would come away with a 2-1 win in double overtime. Jack McVey headed a ball into the upper right corner in the 103^rd minute to send the Knights on to the Sweet 16. From there the journey would come to an end in overtime against North Carolina, but the journey itself back to the top was a special one, that reestablished FDU as not just one of the best men’s soccer programs in the Northeast Conference, but throughout the nation as well.

*photos from northeastconference.org and @necmsoccer
 

NEC Box Score


NEC Game Recap


FDU Game Recap

SFU Game Recap


NEC Front Row Full Game Broadcast


NEC Front Row Highlights

 

Previous Top 12 NEC Games of 2012:

#4 – BOWL: Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Nebraska (FDU 4-3) – 4/13/12

#5 – FH: Monmouth vs. Rider, NEC Field Hockey Championship (RID 3-2) – 11/3/12

#6 – FB: Central Connecticut State at Robert Morris (RMU 37-31) – 10/20/12

#7 – MLAX: Mount St. Mary’s vs. Robert Morris (MSM 16-15, OT) – 5/4/12

#8 – SWIM: Day Four of the NEC Swimming Championships (SFU 748-747) – 2/25/12

#9 – BASE: Wagner at Fairleigh Dickinson (FDU 4-3, 12 innings) – 4/7/12

#10 - WSOC: LIU-Brooklyn vs. St. Francis, 2012 NEC Women’s Soccer Final (LIU 1-0) – 11/4/12

#11 – WVB: Robert Morris at Sacred Heart (SHU 3-2) – 10/13/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: Central Connecticut State at St. Francis (SFU 86-83, 2OT) – 2/20/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: LIU-Brooklyn at Monmouth (MU 55-54) – 2/25/12

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012: #4

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012:

#4 – BOWL: Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Nebraska (FDU 4-3) – 4/13/12

 

The 2012 season was a particularly strong season for NEC bowling. There were seemingly  enough moments to make a top 12 list from the past bowling season alone. First up was the Northeast Conference Championships, held in late March at Bowl-O-Rama in Reading, PA. The field featured five of the top 15 teams in the entire country, including the top two seeds, Fairleigh Dickinson and Sacred Heart. On Championship Sunday in the best of seven Baker, double elimination tournament, the Knights survived an elimination match against Jersey City to earn a place against the Pioneers in the final. After grabbing a 3-0 lead, the Pioneers dropped the next three games, sending the championship match to a 7^th and deciding game. The Game 7, the Pioneers got off to a red hot start, rolling five straight strikes. SHU was able to hold off the nationally ranked #1 Knights to take Game 7 and the 2012 tournament title in thrilling fashion, 235-189.

The NEC would go on to send two teams into the eight team field of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, as both the Knights and the Pioneers were selected.  The Pioneers would have the favor returned to them against UMES, the defending NCAA champs, and a team SHU was previously unbeaten against. Sacred Heart found themselves down 3-0, battled back to force a game seven, only to fall 205-187 in the seventh game. In their second match of the double elimination tournament, the Pioneers were sent home in a six game loss to Valparaiso.

The other representative carrying the NEC banner into the NCAA Tournament was the FDU Knights, who had won the 2010 NCAA National Championship. After a first round win against Arkansas State, the Knights would return to the lanes for the second time on the day to meet the Nebraska Cornhuskers for a spot into the Final Four. The drama that played out in front of the national spotlight at Freeway Lanes in Wickliffe, OH would be more than enough to land this battle at the #4 spot on the Top 12 NEC Games of 2012…

Just like in the NEC final, the Knights got off to a slow start, falling behind 3-0. Nebraska defeated FDU 213-254 in game one, 235-145 in game two, and 238-194 in game three to grab the commanding lead. In game four, with their backs against the wall, the Knights started to make up ground. FDU received strikes from Michelle Hunzaker, Liat Vizenfeld, Brianno Carlo, and Danielle McEwan to lead the Knights to a 193-169 game four win to stay alive. In game five, it came down to the final frame. The Knights turned to their anchor, McEwan, who cold-blooded, delivered three straight 10^th frame strikes to send things into a game six. Trailing by just one game, the sixth proved to be a wide open battle, adding to the intensity and the intrigue. At one point, FDU strung together five strikes to keep pace with the Cornhuskers who tallied six strikes in the first nine frames themselves. Once again it would all come down to the tenth. With the door left open after a Nebraska missed strike in the top of the tenth frame, the Knights would once again turn to McEwan with no margin for error. The Knights junior preceded to, on cue, deliver three straight strikes to force a game seven by a single pin, 213-212.

In the seventh and deciding game, both teams left the first frame open, before striking in the next three. The Cornhuskers threw a strike in the fifth, but the Knights fought back with strikes in the eighth and ninth, to once again set up a situation where everything was riding on the 10^th. For this match, on this day, there was no one else on the planet that FDU would have rather had up in this spot than Danielle McEwan. She would continue her tear in pressure filled situations, throwing a strike on her final ball, completing the comeback and clinching the match for FDU, 213-203. In the post-match NCAA press conference, Knights head coach Mike LoPresti commented, “It took us three games to finally figure out what we needed to do and then it was just about momentum. We played like a unit today with the highest level of intensity…that is the only way you can come back from down 0-3.”

For FDU the drama didn’t end there. They would fall later that day to Vanderbilt, only to have to come back the next day to meet Vandy again. This time with a spot in the NCAA Championship Match on the line, Fairleigh Dickinson would turn the tables in the rematch. FDU would oust their opponents in yet another decisive seventh game. The amazing FDU run would eventually come to an end against Maryland-Eastern Shore in the NCAA Championship Match, as the Knights fell just short of adding another national championship to their trophy case.

*photo from ncaaphotos.com

NEC Game Recap

NCAA Press-Conference

FDU NCAA Tournament Central

FDU NCAA Photo Gallery

Nebraska Game Recap

 

Previous Top 12 NEC Games of 2012:

#5 – FH: Monmouth vs. Rider, NEC Field Hockey Championship (RID 3-2) – 11/3/12

#6 – FB: Central Connecticut State at Robert Morris (RMU 37-31) – 10/20/12

#7 – MLAX: Mount St. Mary’s vs. Robert Morris (MSM 16-15, OT) – 5/4/12

#8 – SWIM: Day Four of the NEC Swimming Championships (SFU 748-747) – 2/25/12

#9 – BASE: Wagner at Fairleigh Dickinson (FDU 4-3, 12 innings) – 4/7/12

#10 - WSOC: LIU-Brooklyn vs. St. Francis, 2012 NEC Women’s Soccer Final (LIU 1-0) – 11/4/12

#11 – WVB: Robert Morris at Sacred Heart (SHU 3-2) – 10/13/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: Central Connecticut State at St. Francis (SFU 86-83, 2OT) – 2/20/12

 

#12 (tie) – WBB: LIU-Brooklyn at Monmouth (MU 55-54) – 2/25/12

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012: #5

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012:

#5 – FH: Monmouth vs. Rider, NEC Field Hockey Championship (RID 3-2) – 11/3/12

For one to understand the superb storytelling and drama that played itself out and made this game so great, one has to understand the complete backstory and sequence of events that led us to this 2012 NEC Field Hockey Championship Match. Believe it or not, the seeds for this final were planted back in 2009. Back then, the Monmouth Hawks, who had not qualified for the NEC Tournament in five years, returned to the conference playoffs as a #4 seed. The Blue and White would be taking on their interstate rivals, the Rider Broncs, who had just won the regular season title for the first time since 2003. The Hawks didn’t just come out with a ‘happy to be here’ attitude, they came out to win. With the game tied at one, in overtime, Nora Bosmans scored for the Hawks to cap off one of the tournament’s  all-time shockers, only the second time in history a #4 seed had upset a #1. Monmouth was defeated the next day in the tournament final against Lock Haven, but gaining experience in tournament play for the first time in years, would be crucial for a young Hawks team going forward.

In 2010, Rider and Monmouth would be the tournament’s top two seeds, this time matching up in the final. Monmouth appeared to have scored with about four and a half minutes to go in the first half, but the goal was controversially wiped away after being ruled that the ball had just slipped outside of the circle before being shot on goal. The game would end up going scoreless for the first 66 minutes and 59 seconds before Alicia Govannicci pushed one past Melissa Katz to score the game’s long goal, claiming Rider’s first tournament title since 2004.

Last year, Monmouth returned to the title game for the third straight season, earning a rematch with Rider. The 2011 Broncs were loaded with talent, and fielded one of the best teams ever in NEC field hockey history. The Hawks made things interesting, but were no match for the high powered Rider squad. The Broncs improved to 19-1 on the season, and walked away with their second straight title.

After Rider graduated of several key players, including NEC Player of the Year Virginia Egusquiza, NEC coaches selected Monmouth as the 2012 pre-season favorite to finally walk away with that elusive championship. Monmouth featured several seniors, such as all-time leading scorer and eventual 2012 Player of the Year Michelle Pieczynski, and grad senior Tara Brown. Pieczynski and Brown were among many Hawks players part of multiple championship game heartbreaks in years past, who were now back for one last run at a title. The Hawks were also proudly representing a community that just days before had been devastated by Superstorm Sandy. Practicing and preparing for a tournament with little to no power and neighbors in need, no doubt weighed heavy on the heads and hearts of the Monmouth team. Once the Hawks defeated St. Francis 3-1 and the Broncs defeated Quinnipiac 4-1 in their respective semi-finals, we were once again locked in to an All-Garden State Final for the third straight season. You had a Monmouth team, hungry to finally taste championship glory, and a Rider team, that despite some new characters in the cast from previous years, were not ready to give up the championship glory of their own. The drama that unfolded in Lawrenceville, NJ on this cool, early November, Saturday afternoon composes our #5 Top NEC Game of 2012…

The Hawks would have several prime scoring opportunities in the first half of the 2012 final, forcing Broncs keeper Joelle Prettyman to be more active then she had to be in the semis, but ultimately would be denied. The game would stay scoreless for the first 28:58, before the Broncs struck first off a penalty corner opportunity. Sandra Penas inserted the ball in to Allison Muschs. Muschs would shoot the ball on goal only to have it redirected through by Gabby Burgo. After tallying two goals in the semis against Quinnipiac, Brugo gave the Broncs a 1-0 lead in the final, a lead which would hold up all the way to halftime. Six minutes into the second half the Hawks would cash in on a corner opportunity of their own. Trish O’Dwyer would insert into Tara Brown, who put a shot on goal toward the back post that would get tapped in from behind the goaltender by Amanda Schoenfeld, evening the championship match at one.

Six minutes later, for the first time in their run of four straight trips to the finals, Monmouth would grab a lead. On a penalty corner to the right of the goalie, O’Dwyer inserted and found Alex Carroll open. Carroll would send in a strike that would get past Prettyman, netting her sixth goal of the season. The Monmouth Hawks were in front 2-1 and 22:32 away from finally tasting a championship title.

At 54:43, Rider drew a penalty stroke. They would hand the opportunity to Muschs, who hadn’t missed in such a situation all season. On this occasion, Muschs would push the ball wide left, preserving a 2-1 Monmouth lead. While the Hawks contingent held a collective sigh of relief, everyone knew that the Rider Broncs, operating the top offensive attack in the league in shots, goals, and penalty corners, would have at least one last offensive flurry to try and even things up.

Indeed that flurry would come. With 11:30 to go, on a penalty corner, Sandra Penas would find herself in the right place at the right time. After inserting the ball, Penas would hang out at the far post. Meanwhile, Rachel Ippolite sent the ball into the circle, having it redirected to the back post by Muschs, where Penas was waiting to tap in the game tying goal.

Just four minutes later, Penas would again take over, slicing through the middle of the field and scoring off a strong backhanded strike. Penas’ two goals over a 4:11 span would put Rider in front 3-2 with just 7:12 remaining. Rider would run out the clock, winning their NEC Field Hockey record sixth tournament title, and becoming the first team to three-peat since Lock Haven 2006-09. Sanda Penas would go on to tell our NEC Front Row cameras in a post game interview that when Rider went down 2-1, she thought that her team wasn't going to win it. Fortunately for the Broncs, Penas did everything she could to make sure that didn't happen. What she did was put together an amazing clutch effort in a championship situation, earning the 2012 NEC Tournament Most Valuable Player.

Box Score

NEC Game Recap


Rider Game Recap

Monmouth Game Recap

NEC Front Row Full Game Broadcast

NEC Front Row Highlights

 

Previous Top 12 NEC Games of 2012:

#6 – FB: Central Connecticut State at Robert Morris (RMU 37-31) – 10/20/12

#7 – MLAX: Mount St. Mary’s vs. Robert Morris (MSM 16-15, OT) – 5/4/12

#8 – SWIM: Day Four of the NEC Swimming Championships (SFU 748-747) – 2/25/12

#9 – BASE: Wagner at Fairleigh Dickinson (FDU 4-3, 12 innings) – 4/7/12

#10 - WSOC: LIU-Brooklyn vs. St. Francis, 2012 NEC Women’s Soccer Final (LIU 1-0) – 11/4/12

#11 – WVB: Robert Morris at Sacred Heart (SHU 3-2) – 10/13/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: Central Connecticut State at St. Francis (SFU 86-83, 2OT) – 2/20/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: LIU-Brooklyn at Monmouth (MU 55-54) – 2/25/12

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012: #6

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012:

#6 – FB: Central Connecticut State at Robert Morris (RMU 37-31) – 10/20/12

The 2012 Northeast Conference football season turned out to be one of the more amazing seasons in recent memory. There were many football games in contention for the Top 12 NEC Games of 2012 list, including several just by the Robert Morris contingent alone. The Colonials had eight games decided by seven points or less, going 4-4 in such contests.  Robert Morris entered this particular game at 0-3 in conference play, after a loss at Bryant the previous week. The Bulldog loss was another thriller of a game that made our “Best of the Rest” list. On the other side, Central Connecticut started the season at 0-5 overall, dropping their first two conference contests against Wagner and Sacred Heart along the way. However, the Blue Devils would come in on a positive note, picking up their first win in their Homecoming game the previous week, 38-31. Central would pick up a season high 495 yards in the victory. Despite the win, the Central defense allowed 31 points or more for the sixth straight game to start the 2012 season.

The October 20^th Central Connecticut State/Robert Morris game was an exciting mid-season college football game that both teams needed to have and couldn’t afford not to get. To their credit, as you’ll see in the highlights and read in this recap, both teams played exactly like that, leaving it all on the field. This highly competitive and highly entertaining football game falls at the halfway point, #6 on our Top 12 NEC Games of 2012 list.

Both teams came out swinging, trading scores in the first half. After Robert Morris struck first on a one yard touchdown run by Ryan Thermil in the first quarter, Central answered with a 3 yard touchdown run by Darius Lee, set up by a Rob Hollomon 73 yard run on the previous play. Then, after Robert Morris regained the lead on another Thermil one yard TD run, Central took over at their own nine yard line, ultimately cashing in on a 75 yard touchdown pass by quarterback Andrew Clements to Matthew Tyrell to knot things up at 14 just a few plays later.

Out of the halftime break, Robert Morris possessed the ball for the first 4:55, the longest drive for either team all day, going 11 plays and 44 yards to get a 38 yard field goal from Greg Langer. With 3:14 remaining in the third quarter, the Colonials took over at their own 43. On the very first play, Colonials quarterback Jeff Sinclair found Donte Jeter for a 57 yard TD. Even though the extra point was blocked, Robert Morris still managed to extend their advantage to 23-14. On the ensuing kickoff, Rob Hollomon took charge and took it to the house, going 96 yards to the end zone, to get Central within 23-21.

On the following possession, RMU saw a punt attempt blocked, allowing the Blue Devils to take over in prime real estate, at the Robert Morris 25 yard line. Five plays later, Clements completed a six yard touchdown pass to Anthony Julbes to give CCSU their first lead of the afternoon, 28-23, with 13:34 remaining in regulation. After a Robert Morris three and out, the Blue Devils got the ball back and drove for a Juan Duque 24 yard field goal to extend the Central edge, 31-23, with 10:19 to play.

The next chance Robert Morris had with the football, Sinclair made his first major mistake, heaving the ball downfield, only to get intercepted. Fortunately, the Tyrell Holmes pick happened downfield, giving the ball to Central, but deep in their own territory. The Blue Devils weren’t able to make anything out of the turnover, and after a three and out, punted the football away. Robert Morris took over at their own 47, and on the first play received a huge boost with a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty tacked on to a Sinclair 6 yard run. After a Central offsides penalty brought Bobby Mo five yards closer, Sinclair found Jeter for the second time on the day, this time from 27 yards out, for the touchdown. With 5:41 remaining, and facing a 31-29 deficit, the Colonials had no choice but to go for two. Sinclair found Deonte Howard for the successful conversion to draw even once again. Sinclair was hit as he threw, but his short throw was easily caught by a wide open Howard in the end zone.

On the next Central possession, Andrew Clements made a costly mistake on 3^rd and 22, throwing an interception to Marcelis Branch at the Blue Devil 38. Taking over on the short field with under five minutes to play, the Colonials kept the ball on the ground for six straight rushing plays, with the sixth being a 2 yard Howard score to put the Colonials in the driver’s seat 37-31. The extra point was blocked, meaning that now Robert Morris would need to turn to their defense to keep Central out of the end zone for the final 1:44, as a TD and an extra point would now be enough for a CCSU win.

The Blue Devils started at their own 28 yard line with all three timeouts at their disposal and conducted an epic drive of 12 plays, and 59 yards to get to first and ten from the RMU 13 yard line in the final seconds. After a rushing loss of a yard on first down resulted in Central calling their final timeout with nine seconds showing on the clock, the Blue Devils would have 3 downs to get the ball in the end zone from the RMU 14. The first try was a Clements incompletion to Denzell Jones, the second an incompletion to Hollomon, setting up one final play – fourth and 11 from the 14. Clements fired toward Denzell Jones at the far side pylon. Jones appeared to reel in the ball, but turned away from all camera angles as he fell to the ground, allowing the fans at home to not get a clear look at the play deciding the entire game. Fortunately, there was an official right there at the goal line to make the call. The official called incomplete pass at the goal line, ending this gridiron thriller 37-31 in favor of Robert Morris.

The two teams combined for 851 yards and 68 points. Colonials senior signal caller Jeff Sinclair conducted his fifth career fourth quarter or overtime game winning drive, which tied the program record. Sinclair passed for 214 yards and two touchdowns. Both were scored by receiver Donte Jeter, who also caught 103 yards on the afternoon. For Central, it was a career day for Rob Hollomon, who ran for 208 yards, scored on a 96 yard kick return touchdown, and finished with 377 all-purpose yards.


Box Score

NEC Front Row Highlights

Robert Morris Game Recap

CCSU Game Recap



Previous Top 12 NEC Games of 2012:

#7 – MLAX: Mount St. Mary’s vs. Robert Morris (MSM 16-15, OT) – 5/4/12

#8 – SWIM: Day Four of the NEC Swimming Championships (SFU 748-747) – 2/25/12

#9 – BASE: Wagner at Fairleigh Dickinson (FDU 4-3, 12 innings) – 4/7/12

#10 - WSOC: LIU-Brooklyn vs. St. Francis, 2012 NEC Women’s Soccer Final (LIU 1-0) – 11/4/12

#11 – WVB: Robert Morris at Sacred Heart (SHU 3-2) – 10/13/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: Central Connecticut State at St. Francis (SFU 86-83, 2OT) – 2/20/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: LIU-Brooklyn at Monmouth (MU 55-54) – 2/25/12

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012: #7

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012:

#7 – MLAX: Mount St. Mary’s vs. Robert Morris (MSM 16-15, OT) – 5/4/12

Men’s lacrosse may be the Northeast Conference’s newest championship event, but in just two years the competition has done an amazing job of catching up to some of the other championships in the drama department. Had there been a Top 11 Games of 2011 list in existence last year, the 2011 semi-final matchup between Robert Morris and the Quinnipiac Bobcats definitely would have been toward the top. Trailing 11-8 with three minutes to go, the Bobcats received three unanswered goals by Jack Oppenheimer over the final 2:50, including the tying goal as the final second of regulation ticked away, to send the game into overtime. Then in the second OT, a Christian Haggerty shot won it for Quinnipiac. The Bobcats would advance to the final where they would ultimately fall to host Mount St. Mary’s 14-9.

Fast forward now to 2012, Robert Morris came in as the host school and regular season champions. The Colonials, no doubt looking to put behind them their 2011 disappointment of seeing things abruptly slip away, found themselves once again involved in a semi-final thriller. With the NEC Men’s Lacrosse competition still in its infancy, Robert Morris and the reigning champion, Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers, continued what is quickly becoming an annual tradition…a NEC Men’s Lacrosse semi-final showdown worthy of being one of the top NEC contests of the year. This year’s version checks in at number seven on the Top 12 NEC Games of 2012...

The Mount got off to a strong start, grabbing a 3-1 lead in the first quarter. The Colonials answered back with seven unanswered goals to go up 8-3 with 5:51 remaining in the first half. NEC Men’s Lacrosse 2012 Player of the Year Kiel Matisz scored two of the goals, and senior Casey Abbot recorded three of the goals for a first half hat trick.  

Finding themselves down by five goals, in one of the key sequences of the game, Mount rallied to put as many scores on the board as they could within the final five minutes of the first half. The Mountaineers were able to get back three, as Daniel Stranix, Andrew Scalley, and Christian Kellett started the comeback train, pulling Mount to within 8-6. Kellet’s goal, off an assist from Scalley, came with just seven seconds remaining until halftime. Mount would then go on to outscore Bobby Mo 5-4 in the third quarter to pull within one, 12-11, going into the final 15 minutes of regulation.

Once again the Mount came out in a flurry. After scoring the final two goals of the third, the Mountaineers scored the first three goals of the fourth to take their first lead since seven seconds into the second quarter. With 9:35 left to decide which team would advance to the championship game, and Robert Morris trailing 14-12, Abbot once again found the back of the cage pulling the Colonials to within one. Nearly three minutes later the Colonials found the equalizer, with Dave Morton knotting the game up, a man up, off a feed from Kyle Buchanan. The tie would be short lived however, as just 20 seconds later, Jake Hayes scored to regain the Robert Morris lead.

While it didn’t come down to the final second as in 2011, Robert Morris once again saw a late lead evaporate in a tournament semi-final. Mount junior Andrew Scalley scored with 2:22 remaining to tie the game at 15 and send the proceedings into overtime. In the bonus session, with 2:10 left, Scalley beat redshirt junior Dillon Pope with a running high shot into the back of the cage for the win.  

With 31 total goals scored, this game marked the highest scoring game in the brief history of the NEC Men’s Lacrosse Championship. Mount would go on looking to defend their title in their second straight tournament final, where this time they would fall to the Bryant Bulldogs 12-6. Robert Morris, once again tasting semi-final heartbreak, were upset as the top seed on their home field, and suffered their first loss in almost seven weeks, ending their season at 11-4. Matisz would record six points on the afternoon to break Robert Morris’ single season points record with 64.

*photos from @necmlax Twitter page

Box Score

NEC Recap


Mount St. Mary's Recap

Robert Morris Recap

Game Highlights

 

Previous Top 12 NEC Games of 2012:

#8 – SWIM: Day Four of the NEC Swimming Championships (SFU 748-747) – 2/25/12

#9 – BASE: Wagner at Fairleigh Dickinson (FDU 4-3, 12 innings) – 4/7/12

#10 - WSOC: LIU-Brooklyn vs. St. Francis, 2012 NEC Women’s Soccer Final (LIU 1-0) – 11/4/12

#11 – WVB: Robert Morris at Sacred Heart (SHU 3-2) – 10/13/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: Central Connecticut State at St. Francis (SFU 86-83, 2OT) – 2/20/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: LIU-Brooklyn at Monmouth (MU 55-54) – 2/25/12

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012: #8

NEC Top 12 Games of 2012:

#8 – SWIM: Day Four of the NEC Swimming Championships (SFU 748-747) – 2/25/12

Over the last few Summer Olympics there have been some thrilling and awe-inspiring performances in the pool that have captivated America. The Northeast Conference got its own taste of aquatic suspense with the finish of the 2012 NEC Swimming Championships. St. Francis and Central Connecticut State had been responsible for taking home the previous four NEC Swimming Championships, with CCSU claiming the top prize in 2008 and 2009, before falling to second next to St. Francis in 2010 and 2011. After three days of competition in the 2012 Championships from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA, Central led their swimming rivals from Loretto by just seven points, 488-481. The ensuing battle over the next seven events between Central, trying to regain the top spot in the NEC, and St. Francis, looking for a three-peat in the pool, led to this event falling at #9 on the Top 12 NEC Games of 2012 list.

Championship Saturday started out with St. Francis making up ground in the grueling 1650 free, with sophomore Megan Collins taking home gold, with a time of 16:55.89. Collins bested her own personal time by 7.4 seconds, and finished 15 seconds ahead of her next closest challenger, Taylor Friedman of Central. The Blue Devils managed to answer in the following event, finishing ahead on the podium in the 200 backstroke, with Alex Czaplicki claiming the silver and Red Flash swimmer Becky Peer taking bronze.

Event 16 was up next, with Red Flash junior Alicia Ford looking to defend her title in the 100 free. The race saw the top five swimmers finish within 1.36 seconds of each other. Ford just beat Central’s Helene Neuhaus to the wall by 0.88 to claim her second straight 100 free title and pick up valuable points for SFU in the overall meet score. St. Francis also took gold in the 200 breaststroke, with Elise Lofgren placing first for the second straight season at a time of 2:16.56, just .56 shy of her event record set in 2011.

The turning point of the championship meet was in the second to last event of the day, the 200 butterfly. Red Flash sophomore Libby Francis picked up silver and 55 points for her team, while the Blue Devils were held off the podium. The swing allowed St. Francis to overtake Central for first time since the first day of the competition with a 716-713 advantage.

All that remained was one final event, a 400 yard freestyle relay to decide the 2012 NEC Swimming Championship. CCSU sent out Alex Czaplicki, Allison Rasile, Neuhaus, and Taylor Friedmann while SFU turned to Lofgren, Jenny Demjanenko, Meghan Cotugno, and Ford. Bryant took the gold, with an event record time of 3:26.95. The Blue Devils placed second at 3:27.40, while the Red Flash came in third at 3:28.08, 2.6 seconds ahead of fourth place Mount St. Mary’s. The top three finishers all finished ahead of the event record set last season by St. Francis. The third place finish for SFU completed the comeback and clinched a third straight swimming championship for St. Francis, by the slimmest of margins, 748 to 747. Over the course of the meet, seven NEC swimming records were broken, four by St. Francis swimmers.

 

 

*photos from @necswimming Twitter page and SFU athletics website


Day 4 Results

Day 4 Recap

St. Francis Meet Recap

 

Previous Top 12 NEC Games of 2012:

#9 - BASE: Wagner at Fairleigh Dickinson (FDU 4-3, 12 innings) – 4/7/12

#10 - WSOC: LIU-Brooklyn vs. St. Francis, 2012 NEC Women’s Soccer Final (LIU 1-0) – 11/4/12

#11 – WVB: Robert Morris at Sacred Heart (SHU 3-2) – 10/13/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: Central Connecticut State at St. Francis (SFU 86-83 2OT) – 2/20/12

#12 (tie) – WBB: LIU-Brooklyn at Monmouth (MU 55-54) – 2/25/12