BOX SCORE
 
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – LMU jumped out to a 6-1 goal lead with 5:41 to play in the first half, and never looked back. The #13 Lions (17-8, 3-1 GCC) topped Golden Coast Conference opponent Santa Clara (8-13, 1-3 GCC) to take the first game of the weekend.
 
The Lions scored all three goals of the first quarter, with Morgan Molloy scoring just 22 seconds into the game following the Abbey Grosse sprint win. Marialena Seletopoulou scored the next two goals in the period, both on unassisted powerplays, with the final one coming with just 17 seconds remaining.
 
Molloy scored two of the first three goals in the opening minute of the second quarter, with Santa Clara's Maggie Oys converting the Bronco's lone goal of the first half. Grosse's goal at the 5:41 mark was the final score change before halftime.
 
Santa Clara opened the third with a goal, then LMU extended the lead to 8-2 with goals from Hana Vilanova and Seletopoulou to close out the quarter.
 
Hanna Buck scored two goals in the fourth, but LMU's lead was two large for concern.
 
Sky Flores made 10 saves in goal, and her four allowed goals is the best to date against conference opponents.
 
LMU will be back at it on Saturday, facing GCC-unbeaten Pacific at 1 p.m. in Stockton.