BERKELEY, Calif. – The Lions closed out the final day of the MPSF Norcal Invitational on Sunday with another tight game, falling 17-16 to #18 Pomona-Pitzer.
 
The two teams opened the game with a combined nine first period goals, with no side holding more than a one-goal lead. Jonny Rimlinger tied the game at 1-1, then Alex Marlow tied then game at 2-all. LMU took a lead on goals by Joseph Cavazos at 3-2, then by Rimlinger at 4-3, and ultimately by Blazo Mitrovic with 38 seconds remaining to push ahead 5-4.
 
Daniel Roth extended the LMU lead to 6-4 with 4:54 to play in the second half. Following a Sagehens goal, Alexandros Athymaritis answered with his first goal of the day to make it a 7-5 game. Pomona-Pitzer tied the game in the period, before Athymaritis pushed LMU back on top witih 1:16 remaining in the half. With less than a minute to play until halftime, the Sagehens scored an equalizer. Mitrovic followed on the ensuing possession to score and give LMU a 9-8 halftime lead.
 
The third quarter featured the two teams trading off the five goals of the quarter. Pomona-Pitzer tied the game on three occasions, with Cavazos and Roth pushing the Lions on top twice. The period ended tied at 12-12 with the final eight-minute period about to begin.
 
The Sagehens opened the game with the go-ahead goal before Rimlinger tied the game at 13-13 with 5:58 to play. Mitrovic scored back-to-back goals less than 40 seconds appart from each other to give LMU a 15-13 advantage with 4:24 on the clock. Pomona-Pitzer scored the next three goals to retake the lead with 1:32 to play. Coming out of a timeout, Cavazos tied the game at 16-16 with 43 seconds remaining in regulation. The Sagehens answered on the ensuing possession to take the game, 17-16.
 
LMU will return to the Bluff to play five home games over the next three weeks.