BROOKLYN, N.Y.- LIU Brooklyn outlasted the Saint Francis Red Flash on Sunday, winning the Northeast Conference men's soccer final 3-1 in penalty kicks after the teams were tied at two after 110 minutes.

Conner Rezende (Davie, Fla. /University School at Nova Southeastern) scored both of the Red Flash tallies on Sunday, including the equalizer in the 79th minute just moments after LIU Brooklyn's Rasmus Hansen scored the Blackbirds' second goal of the second half.

Early on the Red Flash controlled the tempo with SFU putting consistent pressure on LIU keeper Logan Keys. In the 16th minute, the Flash earned a corner kick and a header by Jack Webber (Bernville, Pa./Tulpehocken) was punched away by Keys. That led directly to a LIU counter-attack and a low driving shot from Romario Guscott that was deflected away from Marcus Rojas (Fremont, Calif./Bellarmine College Preparatory). Minutes later, Guscott had another chance, heading a cross deep in the box that was deflected away by a sprawling Rojas.

Rezende scored his first of two on the match in the 29th minute, dribbling around two defenders and getting free to put a shot into the low left corner past a diving Keys to make it 1-0. Rasmus Hansen, the NEC Freshman of the Year had two chances late in the half but missed high on one shot and was denied by Rojas on the other. The Flash led 1-0 at the half.

Rojas made two more key saves early in the second half, denying a pair of LIU set pieces to keep it 1-0. The Blackbirds broke through in the 59th minute after Guscott broke free and bounced a header past Rojas and into the top left corner to tie the match. LIU kept pressuring after getting the equalizer and Rojas again stepped up with two big saves. The Flash countered after the second save, getting a corner and two Francis de Vries (Christchurch, New Zealand/Cashmere) shots that was denied by Keys.

LIU took their first lead of the match in the 76th minute as Hansen got free just outside the 18 box and put a driving shot into the right upper-90 to make it a 2-1 game. The lead lasted just over a minute, an LIU foul led to a deVries' free kick. The junior passed it to Rezende who put a low driving shot on goal, it deflected twice and popped into the top corner of the net to tie the match at two. The crazy sequence got crazier in the 80th minute after Jack Webber (Bernville, Pa./Tulpehocken) was called for a foul in the box. Hansen rang his penalty shot off the far post to keep the match tied. Ninety minutes was not enough as the match went into sudden victory overtime.

In the first OT, Brendan McGhee (Pickering, Ontario, Canada/St. Mary's Catholic) had two strong chances but missed high both times as the Red Flash provided most of the pressure in the extra frame. Late in the first OT, a free kick from Saint Francis went for naught but a late red card on the Blackbirds gave the Flash a man advantage in the second overtime.

Saint Francis had the best scoring chance in the second overtime as a free kick in the 105th minute gave deVries an opportunity from just outside the 18-box. His cross found McGhee who deflected a shot on goal that was stopped by a diving Keys just before it crossed the line. Each team would have a shot on goal late, but no real chance and the NEC title went to penalty kicks.

In the penalty kicks, each team converted in the first round. In the second, LIU converted by Keys guessed correctly and stopped Rezende on a shot at the far post. That titled the kicks in the Blackbirds favor and despite Rojas' stop in round four, Keys made tremendous saves in the second and third round as LIU claimed the NEC crown, 3-1 in penalty kicks.

After the match, Rojas, deVries and Rezende were named to the All-Tournament team, a small consolation after the match. The Red Flash finish the season officially at 11-5-4.