Oct. 8, 2015 2015 Schedule | Give to LMU Athletics | LMU on Facebook |
LOS ANGELES - Fresh off a pair of wins at home to open West Coast Conference play, the LMU women's soccer team hits the road for a pair of key league matches in the Bay Area. On Friday, Oct. 9, the Lions face No. 25 Santa Clara at 7 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. kick off at San Francisco on Sunday, Oct. 11.
The Lions enter Friday's match with a 8-3-1 overall record and 2-0-0 WCC mark after earning wins over Saint Mary's and Pacific on Sullivan Field to open the 2015 league slate. The 25th-ranked Broncos (7-4-0, 0-1-0 WCC) will be fourth ranked opponent on the Lions schedule this fall. The Dons (7-2-3, 1-0-0 WCC) will also prove to be a formidable opponent after knocking off Santa Clara, 1-0, in both teams' league opener last week.
The Lions enter this week ranked No. 48 in the latest NCAA RPI. Santa Clara comes in at No. 12 while USF is No. 72. The NCAA RPI is a determining factor in selecting at-large bids into the 64-team NCAA Tournament.
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LMU at Santa Clara - Friday, Oct. 9 @ 7:00 p.m. - Stevens Stadium (Buck Shaw Field)
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LMU at San Francisco - Sunday, Oct. 11 @ 1:00 p.m. - Negoesco Stadium
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LION NOTES
• Wins over Saint Mary's and Pacific last week kept the Lions a perfect 7-0-0 this season at Sullivan Field.
• LMU opened West Coast Conference play with back-to-back wins for the first time since the 2000 season.
• 12 different Lions have scored at least once this season and 10 players have contributed at least one assist.
• Jocelyn Blankenship leads LMU, and is tied for the WCC lead with 13 points on five goals and three assists.
• Jocelyn Blankenship collected her 17th career assist in the Lions' 2-0 win over Pacific on Oct. 4. She is now one assist away from tying the all-time LMU record of 18, held by Julie Gallaudet (2007-10).
• The Lions went unbeaten for seven straight matches between Aug. 28 (a 3-0 shutout of Bucknell) and Sept. 20 (a 2-2 double overtime draw at Utah.
• The Lions six-match win streak marking the longest win streak for the program since 2007. That season, they won nine straight matches and went on to finish the year 12-6-1.
• Sophomore defender Jill Farley was named WCC Player of the Week on Sept. 14 after playing all 187 minutes in a pair of LMU shutouts. She also scored the overtime game-winner against then No. 21/23 Long Beach State.
• LMU's 1-0 OT victory over then No. 21 Long Beach State marked the first win against a ranked opponent since a 3-0 shutout of then No. 15 Pepperdine on Oct. 15, 2012.
• The Lions are 2-0-1 in overtime matches this season. That mark extends their streak of remaining unbeaten in overtime to nine matches (spanning two-plus seasons). Their last overtime setback was a 1-0 final against then No. 4 BYU on Nov. 1, 2012.
• A 5-1 thumping of Detroit (Sept. 4) marked the highest scoring output for LMU since 2007 when they shutout Lamar University, 9-0.
• The home-opening win over Bucknell (Aug. 28) gave the Lions three straight home-opening victories as they also topped Northwestern, 1-0, in 2013 and New Mexico State, 3-1, in 2014.
• Senior midfielder Jocelyn Blankenship was named to the 2015 All-WCC Preseason Team.
• LMU was picked seventh in the West Coast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll.
• The Lions went 9-8-2 overall and 2-6-1 in WCC play last season with a young squad that featured just three seniors.
• Seniors Morgan Hilby (5g, 6a), Shannon Kent (6g) and Jocelyn Blankenship (6a) return to the pitch after leading LMU in points, goals and assists last fall.
• Ten total starters return and 15 total letterwinners while the Lions also welcome nine newcomers and four redshirts.
SERIES HISTORY VS SANTA CLARA
The Lions are 4-17-1 all-time against the Broncos. That mark includes a 2-9-0 record at Santa Clara's Buck Shaw Field. The Broncos have won the last four meetings, shutting out the Lions in each match. LMU's last win in the series came at Buck Shaw Stadium in 2010, a 2-0 final.
ABOUT THE BRONCOS
Santa Clara enters the week ranked No. 25 in the latest NSCAA top 25 poll and the latest Soccer America national poll. The Broncos had a three-match win streak snapped last week, dropping a 1-0 decision to San Francisco. Just two matches prior to that, Santa Clara played the upset roll, knocking off then No. 6 Stanford, 1-0. Eight different players have scored at least once, led by Grace Cutler's four goals. Megan Croon adds a team-high four assists. In goal, Andi Tostanoski has allowed just six goals (0.57 GAA) while making 50 saves and posting five shutouts.
SERIES HISTORY VS SAN FRANCISCO
The Lions are 13-6-3 all-time against the Dons. LMU won 12 straight from 1998-2009 and has gone 1-2-2 over the past five seasons. The teams played to a 1-1 double-overtime draw the last time they met in San Francisco while last year's meeting
ABOUT THE DONS
San Francisco enters the week riding a big 1-0 upset of WCC rival Santa Clara, snapping a 31-match losing streak to the Broncos. The Dons will host Pepperdine on Friday before facing LMU Sunday. Samantha Jennings has four goals and two assists to lead USF. Amanda Whittle has added two goals and a team-high four assists while Sonja Giraud has scored three times. In goal, Madalyn Schiffel has seven shutouts, allowing just six goals in 12 matches (0.48 GAA) while also making 50 saves.
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