LIU Women's Soccer Selected Second in NEC Preseason Ballot

8/11/06 --Coming off the most wins in program history and highest regular season finish in the Northeast Conference, Long Island University is predicted to close second in the NEC this season in a vote by the league’s coaches. The Blackbirds received three first place votes.

LIU (13-6-1, 7-1-1 NEC) last year closed in second place and reached its first conference title match since winning the championship in 1999. Seventh-year head Tracey Bartholomew returns seven starters in 2006, including a pair of second team all-NEC selections in seniors Allison Andreano (Denville, N.J.) and Stephanie Kansky (Bellevue, Wash.).

Andreano scored twice and ranked second on the Blackbirds with five assists a year ago. Joining Andreano up front is classmate Selima Berisha (Bellevue, Wash.). The forward paced the team in goals (7) and was tied for the team lead in points (18) last fall.

Kansky is a two-time all-NEC goalkeeper who anchored the league’s most suffocating defense (league-low 15 allowed) with a league-best 0.72 goals against average. Senior Ashley O’Connor (Pittsburgh, Pa.), a defensive threat, is among the leading returnees.

The Blackbirds open the season on August 25 at St. Mary’s (Calif.). LIU begins its home campaign on August 31, entertaining Rider at 6:00 p.m. They registered an 8-0 home mark a year ago.

2006 Northeast Conference Women’s Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Central Connecticut State (7)
2. Long Island (3)
3. Sacred Heart
4. Monmouth
Saint Francis (PA)
6. Fairleigh Dickinson
7. Quinnipiac
8. Robert Morris
9. Mount St. Mary’s
10. Wagner

First place votes in parentheses