MANCHESTER, N.H. – Northeast-10 Championship Most Valuable Player Pierre Omanga (Paris, France) (left) scored 1:53 before halftime as top-seeded Southern New Hampshire University edged Merrimack College 1-0 in the Northeast-10 Men's Soccer Championship final Sunday afternoon at Larkin Field.  The Penmen won their second straight NE-10 title and improved to 18-1 on the heels of their 18^th straight victory, the longest win streak in the nation.  Merrimack, which had been unbeaten in its last eight (6-0-2), is now 13-4-2.

The tournament title marks the second straight for Southern New Hampshire and its fifth overall, joining crowns in 2000, 2002, 2008 and 2012.  SNHU's five NE-10 titles are second all-time behind Saint Anselm's six, with SNHU only being a member of the Northeast-10 since 2000.

Southern New Hampshire and Merrimack will now await Monday evening's NCAA Championship selection show (7:00) to await their postseason fate.  The Penmen, who were ranked No. 3 in the East Region in the most recent ranking, are all but assured of a berth, while the Warriors, who entered the week No. 8, sit squarely on the bubble, as six teams from the region are selected.

Omanga's goal, his 19^th of the season, came with just under two minutes remaining before intermission.  Jonathan Lupinelli (Mont de Marsan, France) sent in a low right-to-left cross that Omanga headed past Merrimack keeper Jose Silva.

Merrimack's best chance came 16 minutes into the contest as it nearly took a 1-0 lead.  Ronald Ried collected a long free kick from midfield inside the box and took a shot, but SNHU keeper Dom DiMaggio (Rome, N.Y.) made a diving stop at point blank range.

DiMaggio made the one save en route to his sixth shutout of the season and SNHU's fifth straight clean sheet (10^th overall), while Silva, the NE-10 Goalkeeper of the Year, made five stops as the Penmen outshot the Warriors 13-2, including 7-0 in the second half.  The Penmen also had all 11 of the game's corner kicks.

Omanga, DiMaggio and Dominic Samuel (Toronto, Ontario) were named to the All-Championship Team, along with Ried and Silva from Merrimack.

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Pierre Omanga celebrates with fans following his goal late in the first half.