MORAGA – The No. 10 Loyola Marymount University Lions (6-0-2, 5-0-2 WCC) got goals in the 89th
and 90th
minute to cement their first West Coast Conference Championship since 2013 when they took down No. 23 Saint Mary's 3-1 on Sunday afternoon.
With the win, the Lions finished the season undefeated and in doing so gained the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. LMU returns to the postseason for back-to-back years as they were an at large selection last campaign.
The Lions scored the game's first goal in the 15th
minute when
Ronaldo Brown's shot got past the Gaels keeper. His shot was from a quick cross in the box that found the lower left part of the net and was made possible on assists from
Duhaney Williams and
Leo Zulli.
LMU maintained there one goal advantage until the 40th
minute.
Gerardo Lopez was called for a foul inside the box setting up Saint Mary's for a penalty kick and a chance to tie the game. The Gaels converted the PK, breaking a string of four straight shutouts by goalie
Jacob Jackson, and the half ended with the game tied at one.
Heading into the second half the Lions and Gaels exchanged shots early on but the game started to open up in the 64th
minute. Both teams put up a flurry of shots but the game remained tied.
In the 76th
minute Jackson poked away a shot that was headed for the high center of the net but as the game reached the 83rd
minute LMU began to mount their offensive pressure.
The Lions broke the tie in the 89th
minute when
Noel Caliskan's shot got past the keeper on a breakaway to give LMU a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
Soon after his first goal, Caliskan scored again in the 90th
minute when the Gaels pulled their keeper and his shot went through the empty net.
With the victory the Lions also gave their Head Coach
Paul Krumpe his 200th
career win at LMU.
The Lions will learn their opponent on April 19th
when the NCAA announces the selections for the championship tournament. The first round will be held on April 29th and games will be held throughout the state of North Carolina.
