Nov. 7, 2009

Box Score

MORAGA, Calif. - Junior Julie Gallaudet scored twice and LMU concluded the 2009 regular season with its second straight victory, downing Saint Mary's 4-1 on Saturday afternoon in Moraga, Calif. It was Gallaudet's third career multi-goal outing while lifting the Lions (11-6-2, 3-3-1 WCC) back to .500 in the West Coast Conference with their third straight victory over the Gaels (9-11-0, 1-6-0 WCC).

The Lions finish the regular season with 11 victories, tying for the fifth-most in a single-season in program history and the second-most since 2001. LMU also finishes in a tie for fourth place in the WCC standings and now must wait until Monday's NCAA Tournament selection to find out if its season will continue. The 64-team bracket will be announced at 8 p.m. Eastern on ESPNews.

LMU took the lead after 31 minutes on junior Lily Sorentino's first goal of the year. Sorentino, missed half of the season due to injury, got on the scoresheet for the first time since October 3, 2008 by connecting off a rebound from a poor clearance from Gael goalkeeper Tara Larson. The goal was the fourth of Sorentino's career.

The Lions used three goals in the second half to pull away from the Gaels. Three minutes into the second half, senior Leslie Grandy also got on the board for the first time this year, rocketing in a shot form 25 yards out. Grandy, playing possibly her last game in the LMU uniform, netted her second career goal when she took control of a clearance from a corner kick to beat Larson into the upper corner to double the Lions' advantage.

Gallaudet put the game away with two goals in six minutes. In the 65th minute, the Lions won a free kick. Again, the Gael clearance was poor, allowing Gallaudet to head home from short range. Five minutes later, Sorentino nearly got her second but it was stopped on the line by a defender. It didn't matter as Gallaudet would add to the total within moments. After LMU won a corner, freshman Kelsey Wilson swung in a cross that Gallaudet again got a head to, redirecting her shot to the far post.

The brace moved Gallaudet into a tie with sophomore Erin Rementer for the team goal lead with five while giving her 19 points on the season. The 19 points tie her for the fourth-most in a single season in LMU history while her 34 career points put her eighth on the school's career list.

Wilson herself nearly gained her second goal of the year in the 79th minute, only to see her shot come back of the crossbar. Five minutes from the end, SMC would spoil LMU's shutout when Jessica Menzhuber got her 11th goal of the season.

Despite being outshot 20-15 by the Gaels, LMU was more accurate, putting nine shots on target to SMC's six. The Lions also held an 8-6 advantage on corner kicks. Clark came away with five saves to earn her 11th victory of the season, putting her alone in fourth place on the LMU single-season list. Larson stopped four shots for the Gaels before being replaced by Kate Brenot for the final 18 minutes.