Sept. 18, 2014 Final Stats
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LOS ANGELES - A valiantly fought match ended in heartbreak for the LMU men's soccer team Friday night against the No. 6 ranked UC Irvine Anteaters. Battling back from a 1-0 deficit to take a 2-1 advantage, the Lions would surrender a UCI goal with just 18 seconds remaining in regulation and a penalty kick at the 104:20 mark, dropping a 3-2 final decision to UCI on Sullivan Field.
LMU fell to 2-2-2 on the season while the unbeaten Anteaters improved to 5-0-1.
Cameron Iwasa put UCI on the board just 4:22 into the match, giving the Anteaters early control. But the Lions found their pace, eventually breaking through in the 26th minute on a goal by Sebastian De Rada. Making a run back post, de Rada collected a long crossing ball from Alvaro Madrigal and beat UCI keeper Michael Breslin with a right-footed, far-post shot from just outside the left side of the six.
Energized by the equalizer, the Lions continued to press and would find the go-ahead goal in the 35th minute. With a tackling challenge, Adrien Perez won the ball in the final third and was able to push it to a streaking Grant Sampson. The rookie carried the ball up the middle of the field before slotting a pass to his left for Akio Ohtake-Gordon. In near identical fashion to de Rada's goal, Ohtake-Gordon controlled the ball to his right foot and slotted a low shot into the far post netting past Breslin.
Eyeing the upset, the Lions clung to the one-goal lead to close out the first half and into the second, holding an 8-5 shot advantage in the second period. But with just 18 seconds remaining in regulation, UCI's Dennis Martinez was able to get his foot on a loose ball in the box and net the equalizer, sending the match into extra time.
Just over four minutes into the second overtime period, the Anteaters earned their 11th corner kick attempt of the night. The Lions were able to clear the ball out of the box off the initial cross in, but UCI would play a ball back in. LMU goalkeeper Paul Blanchette came over the top of a UCI player to punch the cross away and was immediately flagged for a foul on the play, awarding UCI a penalty kick attempt. Gor Kirakosyan would convert the PK, beating Blanchette to his left, giving the Anteaters the 3-2 win.
The Lions matched UCI with 12 shots apiece, putting five on frame to the Anteaters' four. Blanchette finished with one save while Breslin made three.
LMU returns to action Tuesday, Sept. 23, facing Xavier in Cinninatti, Ohio, in a match that will kick off at 4 p.m. Pacific.
