Sept. 13, 2009

Box Score

Eugene, Ore. - LMU took a first half lead but Oregon State scored twice in a 61-second span in the second half to hand the Lions their second straight loss, 2-1, Sunday morning at the Oregon Nike Tournament in Eugene, Ore. The loss prevented the Lions (4-3-0) from registering their first win over a Pac-10 school since 2006 while improving the Beavers (4-1-0) to 2-1 all-time against LMU.

Coming off a 3-2 loss to hosts Oregon on Friday in which the Lions rallied from a 3-0 deficit and nearly pulled off the comeback, LMU took the lead just before halftime on a penalty kick. With 40 seconds left in the opening half, LMU earned an opportunity when junior Gabrielle Parisella was brought down in box and the referee whistled for the spot kick. Sophomore Brittney Sanford, who had entered the game just three minutes earlier, converted from the spot for her first career goal and to send the Lions into the locker room with the momentum.

Oregon State, who out-shot the Lions 13-3 in the first period, was kept off the board thanks to six first-half saves from LMU senior goalkeeper Allyssa Clark. The Beavers continued the onslaught in the second half with 15 more shots but things looked like they might work out in LMU's favor when Chelsea Buckland was denied twice in succession by the woodwork in the 68th and 70th minutes.

OSU kept knocking on the door and ultimately broke through at 71:47 when Melinda Ingalls redirected a cross from Milan Cabrera and beat Clark for the equalizer. A minute later, the Beavers had the lead as Ashley Seal collected a loose ball in the box and placed her shot past Clark at the far post.

Clark needed every one of her career-high 11 saves to keep the Beavers at bay but it was not enough as the Lions were held below 10 shots for the second straight game after opening the year with 10 or more in their first five contests. Ashley Wood stopped three shots for the Beavers, who won their fifth straight.

At the conclusion of the tournament, sophomore Erin Rementer and freshman Jordan Nelson were named to the All-Tournament team.

LMU returns to Southern California next weekend for the UCLA Women's Cup. LMU faces Missouri on Friday at 4:30 p.m. and then takes on Utah Sunday at 1 p.m.