LOS ANGELES – Daniel Idiakhoa converted a penalty kick in the 61st minute to lift LMU to a 1-1 draw against Santa Clara on Saturday night at Sullivan Field.
The Lions (5-5-7, 1-2-5 WCC) celebrated Senior Day before kickoff, honoring Elie Bokota, Wawa Palga, Sam Harshe, Okeefe Cunningham, Felix Calero, Adrien Gameiro, Diego Lopez-Rosales and Hugo Tavares during a pregame ceremony attended by their friends and families.
LMU rallied from a first-half deficit to earn a valuable point in conference play, with Idiakhoa's spot kick providing the equalizer after Santa Clara had taken the lead late in the opening period.
Santa Clara struck first in the 43rd minute when Will Wiersdorf found the back of the net off an assist from Alejandro Arenas, sending the Broncos into halftime with a 1-0 advantage. The goal came after Arenas had tested LMU goalkeeper Philip Hovers moments earlier with a shot that forced a save.
The Lions emerged from the break with renewed energy and controlled much of the second-half play. LMU's pressure paid off when they were awarded a penalty kick in the 61st minute following a foul on Arenas. Idiakhoa stepped up and buried the penalty to level the match at 1-1.
LMU outshot Santa Clara 14-13 for the match and held a 10-5 advantage in the second half as they pushed for a winner. The Lions generated several dangerous chances late, with Jaxson Hutcheon and Anthony Boyadjian both forcing saves from Broncos goalkeeper Carter Tseu. Hutcheon, who entered as a substitute in the 35th minute, proved to be a spark off the bench with two shots and active play up front.
Hovers was solid in goal for the Lions, making six saves including four in the opening period to keep LMU within striking distance. The senior goalkeeper denied Wiersdorf on multiple occasions in the second half as Santa Clara sought to regain the lead.
Senior midfielder Palga played the full 90 minutes in his final home match, while fellow seniors Gameiro, Cunningham and Lopez-Rosales also saw action. Harshe anchored the back line for the full match, helping LMU limit Santa Clara's opportunities.
