April 23, 2005

Santa Barbara, CA (Apr. 23) - Loyola Marymount's Lindsay O'Farriell scored with less than a minute to play in regulation to force overtime but the Lions fall in sudden-death to ninth-ranked UC Santa Barbara, 5-4, in the final regular season game of the season on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions fall to 25-6 on the season as Saturday's result was the first game of the season to go to overtime for the Lions. Sophomore goalie Rachel Riddell was impressive in goal, making 17 saves.

Thirty seconds into the sudden-death overtime period, freshman Lindsay Knott drew an exclusion on the Lion's goalie forcing an LMU field player to defend the goal. The Gauchos made several passes before Zizi Clark scored the game-winning goal for UCSB.

The first goal of the game came at the 3:08 mark in the first quarter when Jennifer D'Anna received a pass into the post-position on a six-on-five. D'Anna's goal remained the solitary point of the quarter as both teams battled back and forth for the remaining three minutes.

The Lion's offense gained momentum when O'Farriell tied the game up following a cross-cage pass that she converted into LMU's first goal. Four ejections followed the LMU goal but none of the six-on-five advantages were converted and the score remained tied at 1-1 going into halftime.

LMU took a one-point lead in the third at the 6:27 mark when sophomore Katie Hicks scored following a Gaucho ejection. The third quarter ended with the Lions ahead of the Gauchos 2-1.

Less than a minute into the fourth quarter of play, Gaucho Zizi Clark drew a four-meter penalty. Katy Kunkel took the penalty shot and scored, tying the game up at 2-2. Following a Lion ejection, Alaina Whitaker penetrated in from the perimeter and slammed the ball into LMU's cage giving UCSB a one-point lead. As the clock began to wind down on the final minute of play, O'Farriell scored her second goal of the game tying the score at 3-3.

In the first three-minute overtime period Lion Christine Robinson shot and scored to give LMU a one-point lead at the 1:59 mark. As the clock ticked down on a Gaucho possession, two-meter player Lindsay Llewellyn shot a backhand that landed in the bottom right corner of the Lion's goal once again tying the score at 4-4.

The second overtime period left both teams scoreless as Christy Medigovich knocked down one potential LMU goal and Rachel Riddell posted two blocks for the Lions.

LMU will head to the Western Water Polo Association Championships as the number one seed starting on Friday at UC Davis.

- GO LIONS -