If it’s overtime, Loyola Marymount University’s men's soccer team must be involved --- and emerging on top.
Such was the case Oct. 26 in Stockton, when sophomore Danny Garcia converted a scoring opportunity in the 97th minute, giving LMU a 2-1 win over Pacific and keeping the Lions unbeaten in West Coast Conference play. It was the third straight conference OT win for LMU (8-4-3 overall, 3-0 WCC), and their sixth overtime match in their last eight games.
All the scoring took place in the second half, with Alex Liu giving LMU a 1-0 lead in the 50th minute, his first of the season. Pacific tied the score on a penalty kick goal in the 74th minute, and it remained 1-1 until Garcia took a feed from Jack Sauls and sent it into the net for his second goal of the season.
Now tied for the WCC lead with St. Mary’s, LMU plays at No. 18 San Diego (10-3-1 overall, 1-2 WCC) on Oct. 30 before returning home Nov. 2 against Santa Clara (7-5-1, 1-2).
Women’s Soccer
On a night honoring their nine seniors, the LMU women’s soccer team defeated St. Mary’s 2-0 on Oct. 26, with the scoring provided by, appropriately, their seniors.
Jackie Fiacco and Ali King scored for the Lions (4-10-2 overall, 3-3 WCC) in the win at Sullivan Field. Flacco scored with barely five minutes elapsed, knocking in her own rebound for her second of the season, and King added her third of the year with just five minutes remaining, assisted by Simone Handy. Goalkeeper Sadie Kenny made five saves to preserve the shutout.
The victory provided a much-needed boost for LMU after losing 3-0 to Gonzaga at home Oct. 23, despite six saves by Kenny, a freshman from Seattle’s Bishop Blanchet High School.
This week, the Lions travel to Santa Clara for a Nov. 2 match against the Broncos (10-5-2, 4-02), second in the WCC behind unbeaten BYU (15-0-1, 5-0-1). LMU then has two matches remaining, Nov. 6 at home against Portland and Nov. 9 at BYU.
