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LOS ANGELES - What better way to head into conference play than a huge shutout of a longtime rival. In front of a packed crowd Friday night at Sullivan Field, the LMU men's soccer team put on a show, running away with a 4-0 victory over visiting UC Santa Barbara to close out the 2014 non-conference slate.
The four-goal margin is by far the largest in a win over the Gauchos in program history. The previous best result was a 3-1 win in 1999. All eight other LMU wins came by a one-goal margin.
The Lions move to 6-3-3 heading into West Coast Conference play on Friday. UCSB drops to 6-5-2 overall.
Sebastian De Rada opened the scoring for LMU just 10 minutes into play, dribbling at a diagonal from right to left across the 18-yard box before sending a left-footed shot back across his body. His shot made it past UCSB goalkeeper Brandon Berke, ricochet off a Gaucho defender and into the back of the net for the early 1-0 LMU advantage.
The Lion defense held strong the remainder of the half as UCSB gained a 9-5 shot advantage and LMU carried a 1-0 lead into the break.
Out of the gates in the second half, LMU showed quickly that its offense was not finished. Less than two minutes in, Dylan Seedman blasted a shot towards the upper left corner that took a long diving save by Berke.
In the 56th minute, Alvaro Madrigal broke free of a crowd of Gaucho defenders and set in a shot from 22 yards out that veered just wide of the right post.
It would be redshirt senior co-captain Craig Nitti who would open the floodgates in the second half. The 6-5 central defender made it 2-0 LMU in the 62nd minute, bending a rocketed free kick from 25 yards out around the UCSB wall and well out of the reach of Berke.
Seven minutes later, Nitti would strike for a second time, this time converting a penalty kick attempt after Adrien Perez was fouled near the top of the box on a breakaway.
Perez would get his as well before the night was over as the sophomore headed home a long cross from Ohtake-Gordon in the 75th minute to make it 4-0 LMU.
LMU's back line was near flawless for the entire 90 minutes, including holding the Gauchos to just three second-half shots. Vince Paldino tallied his third shutout of the season while making five saves on the night.
Unbeaten in their last five matches, the Liosn open WCC play at Sullivan Field on Friday, hosting the league's newest member, Pacific, at 6 p.m.
