October 5, 2012
RECORD BREAKER
LIU GK Bannon earns 21st career shutout

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Senior goalkeeper Jennifer Bannon registered the 21st shutout of her career to set a Long Island University record and classmate Nicole Labo scored the game-winning goal in the 32nd minute as the Blackbirds women defeated Bryant, 1-0, in a Northeast Conference game on Friday.

The Blackbirds (4-7-2, 2-1-2) extended their unbeaten streak to three games as they have not allowed a goal in 342 minutes and 20 seconds.

LIU women's soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to three with a 1-0 win over Bryant on Friday.

After Bryant sent the first two shots of the match off target in the first and third minutes, freshman Lucy Gunton-Jones had LIU's first opportunity on frame but was stopped by goalkeeper Lauren Viverito.

In the 21st minute, the hosts nearly took the lead as Kaitlyn Fare rifled a shot that hit the crossbar but bounded out of harm's way. The shot was Bryant's last of the first half as LIU clamped down defensively.

Offensively, the Blackbirds picked up the pace and in the 25th minute were rewarded with a corner kick. Junior Shino Kunisawa found senior Jeanette Dolmetsch off the corner, but Dolmetsch's shot went high.


Sophomore Bridget O'Sullivan matched Bryant's feat by hitting the crossbar in the 32nd minute. The ball stayed in play and after a scramble in front of the net Labo got a foot on it and push it past Viverito.

LIU had a number of early opportunities to double its lead. Senior Evelyn Calderon caught Viverito off her line 24 seconds into the half but was just high on her attempt. In the 50th minute, the Blackbirds had four consecutive corner kicks over 84 seconds. The third corner from Kunisawa found senior Toni Smith on the right side of the box, but her attempt was swept off the goal line by a Bryant defender at the last second.

Over the final 40 minutes, the Blackbirds made their lead stand up, thanks to a solid defensive effort by the backline. Starting defenders Dolmetsch, Gunton-Jones, senior Katie Egan and senior Angie Young did not allow a shot by the Bulldogs on frame to help Bannon break the school shutout record that she had held with former LIU standout Stephanie Kansky since her shutout of UMBC on Sept. 2.

LIU hosts Monmouth next Friday.