Parisi's career day not enough against LIU

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Senior forward Nicholas Parisi (Holbrook, N.Y.) enjoyed a career game, scoring twice and dishing one assist for five points, but the Bryant University men's soccer team fell 4-3 against Long Island University on Sunday at LIU Field.

With the Bulldogs (1-6-1, 0-2 Northeast Conference) holding a 2-1 lead through the first 80 minutes of play, the Blackbirds (3-5-2, 1-1) scored at 80:42 to draw even, sparking a run of four goals for both teams over the final 10 minutes of the game.  Back-to-back goals put LIU on top, 3-2, prompting a Bulldogs tally from junior Ryan Stone (Wakefield, R.I.) at 85:40 to draw even at three goals apiece. 

But Elliot Kane dashed all chances of the contest heading to overtime with one last marker in the 87^th minute, deflecting a throw in from Rommel Forde to cap off a furious scoring rally for both teams.  The Blackbirds converted on all three of their final shots after scoring just once in their previous 14 attempts in the game.  Sophomore goaltender George Spanos (Garden City, N.Y.) registered three saves over the course of a busy afternoon in which he faced 17 shot attempts with seven on target.

LIU raced out to an early 1-0 lead on a header goal off of a corner kick at 4:39, with Dan Sauerhoff redirecting the kick taken by Kane into the back of the net.  But three minutes later it was Parisi drawing even by virtue of his own header goal from a long throw-in by Stone, tying the game up at 1-1.  That score would stand for the remainder of the first stanza, one which saw the Blackbirds hold a 10-1 advantage in shot attempts.

Despite the lopsided numbers in scoring opportunities, Parisi broke the tie in the 50^th minute with his fourth marker of the year.  The senior tri-captain was set up by an initial kick taken by junior transfer David Falcones (Massapequa, N.Y.) after a foul.  That go-ahead goal stood as the difference for the next 30 minutes before the wild 10-minute scoring spurt.

Nik Conklin tied the game up at 80:42, scoring an unassisted tally in front of a busy net before Steve Jakubowski took a feed from Forde and struck on a breakaway goal two minutes later to give LIU a 3-2 lead.

The Bulldogs did not go quietly, as Stone and Parisi hooked up again for the equalizer in the 86^th minute to draw even at 3-3, as Stone was able to put it by LIU goalkeeper Adam Janssen in front of a packed penalty box for his second goal of the season.  But Kane's late-game dramatics sent the Bulldogs home with their fifth one-goal loss of the season.

In total, the Bulldogs were outshot 17-4, but three of their four shot attempts found the twine.  LIU held an 11-2 lead in corner kicks, while Bryant was whistled for 10 fouls over seven called against the Blackbirds.

Bryant will look to rebound on Friday afternoon in Smithfield, welcoming St. Francis (NY) to Sutton Field on Oct. 7.  Game time is set for 3 p.m.

For continuing coverage of Bryant University men's soccer, check back at www.bryantbulldogs.com, and be sure to follow the Bulldogs on Twitter @BryantAthletics.