Oct. 5, 2003
Box Score
Santa Barbara, Calif.- The Lions pulled off a 1-0 upset at No.9 UC Santa Barbara on Sunday evening. LMU handed the Gauchos their first loss of the year ending their 16-game unbeaten streak at home. It is the second straight year the Lions have handed UCSB its first blemish of the season, last year LMU snapped UCSB's eight game winning streak to start the 2002 season. Kevin Novak scored his eighth goal of the season at the 59:37 mark to improve the Lions to 7-3-1.
The emotionally charged match was the fifth game out of last seven meetings to be decided by one goal. Santa Barbara, who had not been shutout since October 19th, 2002, had its home unbeaten streak snapped at 16 games, just two wins shy of the NCAA record books.
UCSB saw four shots clank off either the cross bar or post and Lion goalkeeper Shawn Kalnasy made some big saves in keeping the Gauchos scoreless. Kalnasy ended the match with four saves.
Sophmore Joseph Stoakley punched a pass to the right corner to set up a Sean Rhynard cross into the box. After Rhynard got behind the UCSB defense he chipped a pass to the back post that Novak redirected with his head. Gaucho goalkeeper Dan Kennedy made a quick move to his right making an initial save, but the momentum of Novak carried him into the UCSB keeper. Still holding onto the ball Kennedy fell back and into the goal with the ball just barely clearing the line by a matter of inches. Kennedy attempted the push the ball back out while he was still falling, but he was unable to get rid of it, resulting in his first goal allowed in 454:58 minutes, and the eventual Lion win. It is the fourth game-winning goal of the year for Novak who leads the WCC in that category.
It appeared that Santa Barbara tied things up with just under five minutes remaining after a flurry of UCSB attacks ended with Neil Jones burying a head into the back of the net. Drew McAthy put a shot on frame that careened back out to Matt Bly. Bly had his shot deflected and Jones picked up the loose ball for the shot attempt. The goal, however, was disallowed when the linesman called Jones offsides.
The win is the second for the Lions over a top-10 team this season. The first came earlier in the year at home when LMU defeated then-ranked No.7 Creighton, 2-1, in double overtime.
The Lions return to action at home next Sunday, Oct. 12. LMU hosts San Jose State at 1 p.m. on Sullivan Field.
