Sept. 17, 2014 BUY TICKETS | Complete 2014 Schedule | LMU on Facebook |
LOS ANGELES - A true test comes to Sullivan Field Thursday night as the LMU men's soccer team hosts unbeaten UC Irvine at 7 p.m.
The Lions enter the match riding a two-match win streak - a pair of shutouts over Sacramento State and Colgate. Connor Hunsicker netted the game-winner on Sunday against the Raiders while three different Lions scored against the Hornets back on Sept. 7.
Vince Paldino has been in the net for LMU for the back-to-back shutouts and holds a 0.33 GAA with 12 saves in his three appearances on the year.
UC Irvine enters the week ranked No. 6 in the nation in the latest NSCAA poll and No. 13 by Soccer America. The Anteaters are 4-0-1 on the year with their most recent result being a 1-1 draw against then No. 6 Georgetown.
Eduardo Calzada has four goals to lead UCI while six total players have scored thus far. Michael Breslin has surrendered five goals in five matches while making 14 saves.
FOLLOW THE LIONS
LMU vs. No. 6/13 UC Irvine - Thursday, Sept. 18 @ 7:00 pm - Sullivan Field
| Live Stats | LMU Sports Network FREE Webstream
LION NOTES
• Craig Nitti and Adrien Perez were named to the 11-member John Rennie/Nike Invitational All-Tournament Team
• Adrien Perez scored his 13th career goal at UC Davis (Sept. 5) putting him in a three-way tie for 9th in the LMU career goals record book
• John McFarlin needs three assists to tie and four to break, the LMU career record of 21, held by Arturo Torres (1999-02)
• Senior defender Craig Nitti was named to the 2014 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
• LMU was the preseason pick to repeat as West Coast Conference Champions, earning six first place votes
• Five Lions were named to the 11-member All-WCC Preseason Team including Craig Nitti, John McFarlin, Adrien Perez, Paul Blanchette and Sebastian De Rada
• Craig Nitt and Adrien Perez were named to TopDrawerSoccer.com's College Soccer Preseason Top 100 Players list
SERIES HISTORY VS UC IRVINE
This will mark the 20th all-time meeting between the Lions and Anteaters who each have nine wins in the series while also battling to one draw. This also marks the first meeting since 2003 when LMU took a 4-1 victory from UCI in Irvine. The win was the fourth straight over the Anteaters for the Lions. UCI's last win came in 1997, a 2-0 shutout.
