LOS ANGELES – Jennessa Groves scored a brace, Abby Lynch added her second goal of the season, Kylie Dobbs scored her eighth goal of the season and LMU defeated San Diego 4-0 on Wednesday night at Sullivan Field.  

 

Lynch scored before most of the crowd had even settled into their seats. Megan Rucker made one of her patented runs up the left wing and curled a ball around the backline of the USD defense. Dobbs had the first swing at it and missed before the ball fell to Lynch at the back post. Lynch tapped it past the goalkeeper with 2:55 showing on the clock. 

 

LMU took that 1-0 lead into the half but came out of the half fast as well. 

 

Dobbs took her chance with the venom that has become her calling card as a Lion. Caitlyn McCulloch slid towards a contested ball and found Dobbs on the backside. Dobbs took two touches before shifting the ball into a shooting position and getting her laces through it. The Torero goalkeeper's dive was not close as the ball tickled the twine. It was Dobbs' eighth goal of the season. 

 

Groves would not be denied in the second half as she scored a pair.  

 

The graduate student continued her successful career as a Lion with a lovely deft goal off a practiced play. Goalkeeper JJ Hoover booted a ball deep that met the head of Dobbs. Dobbs flicked the ball over the top to Groves who used a nifty touch to create space before easily finishing past the Torero goalkeeper that was rooted to the spot.  

 

She followed that up with a nicely timed run that led to the final tally of the evening. Emma Gustad Myklebust switched play to Helen Schaefer who cut inside and delivered a lofted through ball right into the path of Groves. Groves touched it down and beat the keeper at the far post to notch her 13th career goal.  

 

Hoover earned her first career assist on the first Groves goal and notched her fifth clean sheet of the season. She was mostly kept clean by the smother defensive backline of Rucker, Schaefer, Myklebust and Genevieve Watkins but managed five saves as well.  

 

LMU improves to 8-3-1 on the season and 2-1-1 in WCC play. They currently sit tied for fourth in the WCC standings with an important matchup against Santa Clara on Saturday, October 12. The match will begin at 7:00 p.m. (PT) and will be a part of the double header with men's soccer taking on Pacific at 4:00 p.m. Both matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.