Sept. 23, 2010

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Facing a three-game losing streak and a rowdy crowd of 1,852, LMU shook off both with its highest-scoring offensive outburst since 2008, dominating Cal Poly 4-1 on Thursday night at Alex G. Spanos Stadium in San Luis Obispo. The Lions (4-3-0) got two goals from junior Artur Jozkowicz and one each from juniors Jonas Reiter and Phil Da Silva to dispose of the Mustangs (2-3-1).

The Lions entered the match having conceded the first goal in four of their first six games but wasted no time in squashing that trend as Reiter put the visitors in front after just 11 minutes. Junior Tyler Krumpe found junior Logan McDaniel with a throw-in and McDaniel provided a pin-point cross to Reiter, who rose up to head past Mustang goalie Brett Finkelstein for his first goal of the season and the second of his Lion career.

LMU put pressure on the Cal Poly goal all night, raining 19 shots down on the Mustangs, the team's second-highest output of the season. Not content to rest on Reiter's opener, the Lions doubled their lead in the 35th minute through Da Silva's second goal of the season. Having entered the game just 10 minutes earlier, the substitute drew Finkelstein out off his line but had his initial shot blocked. Da Silva was quick to pounce on the rebound, slotting home to send LMU into the locker room with a 2-0 lead.

After out-shooting Cal Poly 10-3 in the first half, the Lions expected the Mustangs to regroup at the half and mount an offensive to cut into the lead. Instead, Jozkowicz came through with two goals in the first 20 minutes of the half to keep Cal Poly at bay.

Just 1:26 into the second half, Jozkowicz grabbed his first of the game and team-leading third of the season. Seniors Rafael Baca and Vincent Ocampo found Jozkowicz with a header and Jozkowicz's first-time shot eluded Finkelstein in the bottom right corner. The assist was the 15th of Baca's career, moving him into a tie for eighth on the LMU career charts and breaking a tie for fifth on the points list.

Cal Poly would nearly grab a goal back in the 50th minute when Justin Hill hit the crossbar but Hill would help the Mustangs break the LMU shutout seven minutes later. Hill played in Jake Hustedt on the right side and his finish beat LMU junior Jack McCormack to the bottom left.

All hopes of Cal Poly's comeback were dashed in the 65th minute by Jozkowicz's second goal of the game thanks to a fortuitous deflection. Jozkowicz's shot bounced off a Mustang defender and dribbled past Finkelstein to secure his first career two-goal game and give him eight for his career.

McCormack finished with two saves to record his fourth win of the season. Finkelstein stopped six shots for Cal Poly.

LMU's 19 shots were the team's second-most of the year, trailing only the 22 attempted on Sept. 5 against Cal State Northridge. The four goals were also the program's most since netting five against San Francisco on November 16, 2008.

LMU closes out the non-conference schedule on Sunday with a trip to UC Riverside.