BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – The LIU men's soccer team earned postseason honors from the Northeast Conference Thursday afternoon. Freshman Emil Jaaskelainen led the way, as he was honored as the NEC Rookie of the Year. He also earned first team All-NEC honors and was named to the All-Rookie team. Jaaskelainen leads a cadre of Sharks who were honored, as LIU had a combined five first and second team selections and three All-Rookie nods.
 
Senior forward Jonas Dovland earned first team All-NEC honors, as did junior defender Fridtjof Andberg. Sophomores Henry Haferkorn and Demetri Skoumbakis were both named second team All-NEC, and freshmen Assane Ben Fall, Saidou Diallo and Jaaskelainen were named to the NEC's All-Rookie Team. It is the first time being honored by the NEC for all Sharks selected.
 
The awards were announced on the eve of the NEC Championship match pitting St. Francis Brooklyn against longtime rival LIU. Kickoff is at 1:00 pm at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
 
Jaaskelainen wasted little time in becoming one of the most feared strikers on the circuit. The Bolton, Sweden product tallied four goals, three assists and 11 points on the year to rank first in the NEC in all three categories. He compiled a four-match goal scoring streak and has put at least one point on the board in six-of-seven contests. One of just two NEC freshman voted first team all-conference, he became the third straight LIU player and eighth in program history to be named NEC Rookie of the Year, joining Papa Ndoye (2019), Sam Ilin (2018), Rasmus Hansen (2015), Rafael Solano (1997), Paul Schneider (1994), Carlos Bravo (1988) and Dan DeOliveira (1987).
 
 
St. Francis Brooklyn earned a league-best four All-NEC first team nods and tied with LIU for the most combined first and second team selections with five apiece. Merrimack landed four All-Conference honorees followed by three for Fairleigh Dickinson.
 
LIU looks to be a formidable opponent for SFBK in the NEC final after the two teams played to a scoreless draw in both team's regular season finale. The Sharks possess an explosive weapon in first team all-star Jonas Dovland (Oslo, Norway/Francis Marion), who is tied with Jaaskelainen for the league lead with four goals, two of which were game-winners. Junior defender and first team pick Fridtjof Andberg (Lillehammer, Norway/Lillehammer videregående skole), along with defender Henry Haferkorn (Datteln, Germany/Gesamtschule Bergerfeld Gelsenkirchen) and goalkeeper Demetri Skoumbakis (Chania, Greece/Nea Kydonia) - both second team selections - anchored a near impenetrable Sharks defense that posted a league low 0.65 GAA on the year.
   
 
Both Diallo and Ben Fall finished tied for sixth in the league for overall assists and assists per game
 
 
Of the 22 players to land a spot on the All-NEC teams, just four are seniors and nine are underclassmen.