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LOS ANGELES - Winners of five of their last six matches, the LMU women's soccer team begins West Coast Conference play this week. The nine-game league slate opens at Sullivan Field as the Lions welcome San Francisco on Friday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. and Santa Clara on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m.
The young Lion squad and their 7-2-1 overall mark has collected the most non-conference wins since 2010 when they entered WCC play at 8-3-0. Depth has been key through the non-conference slate as nine different players have scored at least once and seven have contributed assists.
Through 10 games, the Lions have 15 goals, long since surpassing their season total of 10 from one year ago. They have also posted four shutouts, and have allowed more than one goal just once (four to No. 1 ranked UCLA).
San Francisco enters the week at 4-5-2 overall, having dropped its last three games, all on the road. The Dons have posted three shutouts on the year while also giving up three goals on three occasions. They have scored multiple goals just twice - a 3-0 shutout of Nevada and a a 3-0 blanking of LIU Brooklyn. Four players have found the back of the net twice, including Amanda Whittle, who leads the Dons with six points on two goals and two assists.
Santa Clara enters WCC play with a 7-4-0 mark and riding a three game win streak. The Broncos open league action at No. 11 ranked Pepperdine on Friday before making the trip to Sullivan Field on Sunday. Sophia Huerta leads the WCC with nine goals, including three game-winners, to go along with one assist for 19 points. Three other Broncos have scored this season. In goal Andi Tostanoski has four shutouts and a 1.19 GAA.
FOLLOW THE LIONS
LMU vs. San Francisco - Friday, Oct. 3 @ 7 pm - Sullivan Field
| Live Stats | LMU Sports Network FREE Webstream
LMU vs. Santa Clara - Sunday, Oct. 5 @ 1 pm - Sullivan Field
| Live Stats | LMU Sports Network FREE Webstream
LION NOTES
• Junior midfielder Jocelyn Blankenship was named to the 2014 All-WCC Preseason Team
• Callie Taylor earned the first WCC Player of the Week honor for 2014 after scoring back-to-back game winning goals against New Mexico State and Cleveland State
• Sophomore Sophia Leksan posted back-to-back shutouts against Cleveland State and Oregon State
• The win at UCSB on Sept. 7 snapped a 14-match road losing streak for LMU. The last road victory prior to that was a big one, however, a 3-0 upset of then No. 15 Pepperdine on Oct. 19, 2012.
• Freshman Sarah Sanger has a pair of overtime golden goal winners this year, netting them in back-to-back games at UC Santa Barbara (Sept. 7) and versus Cal State Fullerton (Sept. 14). • Junior Shannon Kent has scored a goal in each of the Lions' last three games and now leads the squad with four goals on the season.
• The Lions are unbeaten in overtime games this season, going 2-0-1. That mark includes a scoreless draw at Oregon State (Aug. 29), followed by back-to-back, double-overtime golden-goal winners at UC Santa Barbara (Sept. 7) and versus Cal State Fullerton (Sept. 14). • LMU's last WCC win was over San Francisco - a 1-0 overtime victory over the Dons on Oct. 21, 2012.
SERIES HISTORY VS SAN FRANCISCO
The Lions are 13-5-3 over San Francisco all-time, including a 7-1-2 mark at Sullivan Field. LMU won 12 straight from 1998-2009, and has lost just once (2011) since. Last fall the team's played to a 1-1 double-overtime draw in San Francisco. Jocelyn Blankenship scored for the Lions, converting a penalty kick attempt.
SERIES HISTORY VS SANTA CLARA
LMU has been victorious over Santa Clara just four time in the 21-game history. The Lions won 2-0 in 2010 and have since dropped three straight. Last fall, the Broncos claimed a 2-0 shutout of LMU in Santa Clara.
