Just Briefly
The Loyola Marymount men's soccer team, currently ranked eighth in the Far West by the National Soccer Coaches' Association of America, continues its four-game homestand this Sunday, taking a break from West Coast Conference competition. The Lions put themselves in the thick of the WCC race with a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over Portland last Sunday in front of a record crowd of 917 at Sullivan Field. The heroics in LMU's sixth overtime victory of the season were provided by freshman midfielder Kevin Novak, who tracked down a ball rolling towards the right goal post and punched it home for the game-winner at the 100:23 mark. Novak also tied the game in the 66th minute with the first goal of his collegiate career, which came just 19 seconds after the Pilots built a 2-1 lead. Sophomore foward Arturo Torres assisted on both of Novak's scores, and established a new Loyola Marymount record of 63 career points with his first half goal. For his efforts Torres earned his second straight WCC Player of the Week honors and third award this season. The Lions' upset of Portland tied the school record for victories in a season and assured LMU of a winning record in 2000.

Up Next
Loyola Marymount plays its final non-conference game of the season on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 2:00 p.m. when Cal State Northridge visits Sullivan Field. Looking ahead, the Lions will resume WCC play and conclude their current four-game homestand against Gonzaga on Sunday, Nov. 4 with another 2:00 p.m. contest.

Lions in the Midst of Record-Setting Season
With its record of 9-5-1, Loyola Marymount has equaled the school record for victories in a season, established in 1981 when the Lions went 9-4-0 and placed first in the Southern California Intercollegiate Soccer Association. Interestingly, that feat was accomplished last Sunday in front of a sellout crowd of 917 fans, the largest group ever to see a men's soccer game at Sullivan Field. In addition, the Lions' next conference victory will match their highest WCC win total (3), set in 1997.

Cardiac Kids
Sudden death has meant sudden victory for the Lions, who are an undefeated 6-0-1 in overtime games this season. LMU showed just how comfortable it is playing in OT against Portland, holding the Pilots without a shot in extra time before Novak's "golden goal" in the 100th minute. Last Sunday's momentus win came on the heels of a 2-2 tie with 20th-ranked San Diego on Oct. 15 and a string of three straight overtime victories in late September against San Diego State, UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine. Loyola Marymount also notched consecutive OT wins at Loyola Chicago and UNLV near the start of the season. The Lions have obviously learned their lesson from 1999, when they went 0-2-3 in overtime contests.

Torres Tops the Charts
Only a sophomore, forward Arturo Torres already holds a combined five single-season and career Loyola Marymount scoring records, two of which were accomplished against Portland. Torres established a new school record of 63 career points with his first half goal, surpassing the highwater mark originally set by Jorge Rodriguez who played at LMU from 1993-96. The Wilmingtom, Calif., native then assisted on the Lions' final two goals, giving him the school record for assists in a season with nine. The only record remaining on Torres' hit list is the all-time mark of 15 assists, which he is only two away from. The reigning WCC Player of the Week currently leads the conference in assists (9) and ranks second in points with 29. He has scored or assisted on 19 of Loyola Marymount's 24 goals and has scored three or more points in five different games this season.

Protecting the Pride
Senior Jerad Bailey has been the busiest goalkeeper in the country this season, leading all Division I players with 101 saves. That equates to 7.21 saves per game, fourth-best nationally. While Bailey has faced a ton of shots he hasn't let many through, boasting a goals against average of 1.44 - over half a goal lower than his 1999 mark. The Redlands, Calif., native has already matched his previous career high for shutouts in a single season with four in 2000. Bailey has blanked a school-record 14 opponents in his LMU career. The Lion defense as a whole has stepped up this year, allowing just 21 goals (1.40 per game). Loyola Marymount is particularly stingy in the second half of games, surrendering just six scores and 94 shots.

LMU Head Coach
Paul Krumpe enters his third season at the helm of the LMU men's soccer program. In 1999 he guided the Lions to their best overall record (8-8-3) in nearly twenty years and earned WCC Coach of the Year honors. A 1986 graduate of UCLA, Krumpe came to LMU after spending three seasons as an assistant with the Bruins. During those seasons, he helped lead UCLA to a record of 56-9-1, three NCAA regional appearances, three Mountain Pacific Sports Federation titles and a national championship in 1997. As a player for UCLA, Krumpe was a four year starter (1982-85), co-captain of the 1985 NCAA Championship team and a two-time All-Far West Region selection. He also has extensive international experience, playing in over 40 games with Team USA including the 1988 Summer Olympics.

Matador Musings
Cal State Northridge enters Sunday's showdown with the Lions looking to improve on its current 5-10-0 overall record. The Matadors followed up a 2-1 win over San Diego State on Oct. 20 with a 4-2 loss to UC Irvine last Sunday, both in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play. Freshman Tony Ortega has a team-leading eight points for CSUN, which has put the ball in the net only 14 times this season. While Northridge is 9-3-0 all-time against LMU, the Lions have won the last two meetings, including a 3-2 decision on Nov. 7, 1999.