Calderon scored her first goal in the 23rd minute to tie the game at 1-1 when she picked up a loose ball in the box and flicked it to the left post over the goalkeeper. The Hawks took an early lead just under three minutes into the game when Andrea Lopez picked up a loose ball and sent a rocket into the right corner from just inside the penalty area.
The Blackbirds responded to Calderon’s goal and took control of the contest from there. LIU’s four seniors on defense; Nicole Allen (Kelly O’Connell, Christina O’Connor and goalkeeper Amy Johnson (Maryland Heights, Mo.) played a strong game, allowing just seven Monmouth shots and keeping the Hawks off-balance after the opening goal.
Calderon Earns Women’s Soccer Player of the Week Award: Long Island University freshman Ariana Calderon was named the BigAppleSoccer.com Women’s College Player of the Week for the week ending Nov. 2. It is the second time Calderon has claimed the weekly honor, having also been named player of the week on Oct. 13. She scored three goals and an assist in a pair of LIU wins last weekend.
Calderon notched a goal and an assist in a win over Mount St. Mary’s and then proceeded to score the equalizer against Monmouth and added an insurance marker later in the contest to help LIU cap an unbeaten conference slate. Calderon leads the team with 10 goals and 22 points, which both rank second on LIU’s single-season lists and are new records for LIU rookies. Calderon was also named Brine/Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week after helping LIU claim the regular season NEC title with a pair of wins last weekend.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
LIU 74, New York Gazelles 59: Led by a combined 43 points from junior Heidi Mothershead and freshman Ashley Palmer the Long Island University women’s basketball team beat the New York Gazelles, 74-59, in exhibition play at the Wellness Center Tuesday. Mothershead finished with 24 points on the strength of four three-pointers.
The Blackbirds were in control for most of the contest, leading by as many as 16 points in the first half. After a jumper in the paint by sophomore Chelsi Johnson gave Long Island a 27-11 lead, the Gazelles went on a 14-2 run to cut the Blackbird advantage to four points with five minutes to play in the first half.
Long Island scored six straight on a pair of free throws and a jumper by Mothershead bookended around a Palmer jumper, swinging the momentum back in the home team’s favor.
Palmer finished with 19 points on an array of tough layups and rainbow jumpers, adding a game-high 10 rebounds for a double-double. Johnson chimed in with 10 points and three boards, while senior Jade Brown had seven rebounds and a game-high 10 assists. Long Island shot 47 percent from the field, compared to the Gazelles’ mark of 34 percent. Three Gazelles scored in double figures, led by Nicole Rehm’s 14 points.
