BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – A pair of second-half goals was the difference in today's match between Fairfield University and LIU as the Sharks erased a 1-0 halftime deficit to post a 2-1 decision over the Stags.

LIU enjoyed an offensive advantage through most of the first half, outshooting Fairfield by a 12-4 count. But the number is somewhat deceptive because the Stags defense kept the Sharks offense outside the box, forcing a good portion of those attempts 18 yards and out. In fact, the home team put just one of those shots on goal which goalkeeper Viktor Nikolov was able to handle cleanly to keep LIU off the scoreboard.

On the other side of the pitch, Fairfield made the most of its opportunities though by finding the back of the net on one of its four attempts. The goal was the result of a corner kick which was earned after Kris Naicker released a shot that was deflected away from danger. The ball caromed over the end line to set up the free kick chance. William Pierce sent the ball into box toward the far post where Steven Perno headed the ball back toward the other side of the goal. Thomas Drillien put his head on the ball and tucked it just inside the post.

Fairfield carried that advantage into the halftime break but the lead disappeared just four minutes into the second half. In a near replica of the Fairfield goal, LIU tied the game with a cross to the near post which resulted in a header that placed the ball on the feet of Stephane Njike. He put the ball to the lower right corner to tie the game at 1-1 in the 49^th minute.

The Stags nearly regained the lead just a minute later courtesy of Alex Marin and Dylan Mederios. Marin worked his way into the box and took a shot that was blocked. The ball rebounded back to Mederios and he put a shot toward the top of the goal but it ricocheted off the cross bar and landed over the end line.

LIU took the lead for good in the 64^th minute after Njike found Niklas Saavedra in open space, resulting in a one-goal lead for the Sharks.

The Stags made several promising runs later in the half that also nearly resulted in the tying goal but the Sharks' defense was up to the task. Asher Rosen started a scoring chance in the 72^nd minute, timing a cross to the middle of the box that Drillien appeared poised to put a head on the ball but the goalkeeper stepped up and intercepted the cross to avoid danger.

Three minutes later, Perno and Sam Danner worked some magic inside the box that also put a ball in play toward Drillien. The forward caught up to the ball this time but the shot was deflected away before it was a real threat.

The Stags will play their second game of the current four-game road trip on Saturday when they travel to the University of Vermont for a 6 pm match.