Jonas Stigh's header in 88th minute lifts Long Island to Northeast Conference title, 1-0 over Fairleigh Dickinson

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11/14/04 -- Tournament MVP Jonas Stigh (Trollhattan, Sweden) scored on a header with 2:36 remaining, lifting Long Island to the Northeast Conference championship with a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson in Teaneck, N.J.

By winning their fourth NEC crown and first since 1997, the Blackbirds (9-6-4) advance to the NCAA College Cup for the first time since 1986. The pairings will be announced Monday on ESPNews at 4:30 pm.

Stigh, a two-time All-NEC pick who also scored in Friday's semifinal win over St. Francis (PA), was on the spot again. Senior Josh Couvillion (New Orleans, La.), a second team All-NEC honoree, curled a corner kick from the left side and the senior defender headed it home for his eighth career tally.

The victory also ended Fairleigh Dickinson's four-year reign as NEC champions. The Blackbirds fell to the Knights in the 2001 final in four overtimes and the 2002 championship game in pentitley kicks.

FDU (10-8-1) looked to force overtime in final minute, but Mira Rusevic had his shot stopped by senior All-NEC goalkeeper Ryszard Gorski (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) for one of his two saves and Carlos Alarcon's shot went wide.

Each team fired eight shots and the schools combined for 35 fouls and five yellow cards.

Neither team was able to generate many scoring opportunities in the first half as third-seeded LIU got off four shots and FDU took only two.

With just under 25 minutes to play, LIU's Ricardo Ordain (Brooklyn, N.Y.) got off a clean shot from about 20 yards out, but his attempt went just over the crossbar.