LOS ANGELES – The LMU men's soccer team was selected to be a host in the 2023 NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament. The Lions will face UC Irvine on Thursday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. (PT) at Sullivan Field. 

 

The Lions faced the Anteaters in an exhibition match in the preseason.  

 

The Lions last hosted an NCAA Tournament match in 2019, falling to No. 20 Seattle 3-1. 

 

LMU and the Anteaters have played each other nine times leading into Thursday's match, with the teams playing to an even 4-4-1 split. The Lions have won two in a row, including last season's 1-0 victory punctuated by a Marco Byers-Mora goal.  

 

The Anteaters are the champions of the Big West. They defeated UC Davis in the Big West Championship on penalty kicks.  

 

The Lions went 1-1-2 against Big West Competition this season. The two teams meeting faced seven common opponents during the 2023 season. Both teams defeated Sacramento State and Gonzaga. The Lions drew with UC Davis and CSUN, who both defeated the Anteaters 1-0. UC Irvine got the best of Cal State Fullerton, who handed the Lions their first loss of the season on September 21. The Anteaters also drew with Saint Mary's, who slipped past the Lions on Saturday night in the regular season finale.  

 

The final common opponent is the second-round matchup for the winner of Thursday's match, UCLA. The Bruins defeated the Anteaters handily on September 23, while the Lions defeated the Bruins in Westwood. The winner Thursday will advance to play UCLA on Sunday. 

 

Tickets will be available on AXS and current LMU students will be admitted free of charge.  

 

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To provide an efficient and safe experience for our fans; we utilize mobile ticketing delivery through the AXS app. Mobile ticketing allows fans to enter LMU athletic venues via their mobile app instead of a physical, paper ticket. Make sure to have your ticket available on your phone upon arrival to ensure the quickest entry process. For assistance, please call 310-338-LION (5466).        
        
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