ATHLETICS | The Lions men’s soccer team had one of its more exciting weeks in recent memory. Last Tuesday, the Lions earned a 2-1 overtime victory over the New Mexico Lobos on the road as sophomore Kris Fourcand scored a penalty kick in the 92nd minute to give the Lions the win. Then on Sunday, the team opened up conference play by picking up its second straight win by defeating Santa Clara 2-1 on the road with a pair of goals in the final two minutes of regulation. LMU will be in the Pacific Northwest this week, and closes out the season with four straight home games.
The women’s volleyball win streak is up to four after LMU won a pair of conference games last week. Senior Sara Kovac hit 18 kills on 30 swings to help guide LMU to a .375 team hitting percentage as the Lions posted a 25-19, 25-20, 25-19 sweep of St. Mary’s Thursday night at Gersten Pavilion. On Saturday afternoon, playing in its third five-set match of the year, LMU volleyball outlasted Pacific by scores of 25-20, 26-28, 25-20, 22-25, 15-10 to move to 15-3 on the year. The season continues on the road for three straight before returning to the bluff on Oct. 25 and 27.
The Lions took care of business in two non-conference home games at Burns Aquatics Center this weekend. Men’s Water Polo used a defensive effort to shut down Iona in a non-conference matchup Thursday, benefitting from a 6-0 third quarter to blow open the game. On Sunday, erased a three-goal halftime deficit to complete the comeback win over the U.S. Naval Academy, 12-10. The team now heads to back-to-back weekend tournaments with a trip to Palo Alto followed by Santa Clara before WWPA action continues back at Burns on Oct. 25 vs. Cal Baptist.
Senior tennis player Lukas Moenter’s historic run at the 2018 ITA Men’s All-American Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma, came to an end last Tuesday afternoon, as Moenter dropped a match, 6-1, 6-2, to Miami’s Bojan Jankulovski. Moenter, who won five of the six matches he played after earning an opening-round bye, was playing in the third round of the qualifying bracket with eyes on reaching to the main draw and the final 16 players.
The run at the All-American Championships is the best for a Lion since Cristobal Rivera reached the same stage in 2015. Rivera played seven matches in total, winning six, that year.
After hosting the No. 2-ranked Santa Clara, women’s soccer will be back at Sullivan Field this Saturday for another exciting WCC showdown. The game will be LMU’s Pride in Pink game. In support of the fight against breast cancer, all breast cancer survivors and those undergoing treatment are able to receive one (1) complimentary ticket to the game and up to four (4) discounted tickets for friends and family. Pride in Pink hats and shakers will be given away to the first fans in attendance. In addition, all fans who purchased a Dad and Daughter ticket package will be able to participate in a unique on field opportunity with the team. More information about the program is available here.
The Pride in Pink initiative joins LMU athletics and local groups to promote the awareness of breast cancer and raise funds for the fight against breast cancer. With the help of the student-athletes, coaches, campus and community businesses, LMU plans to bring Pride in Pink to each one of our women’s home events during the year. Fans are encouraged to join our student-athletes in wearing pink to our Pride in Pink games, which are listed below. Many of the contests will feature pink giveaways, including Pride in Pink hats and pink shakers to the first 100 fans at women’s soccer and volleyball, and Pride in Pink shirts and shakers to the first 100 fans at women’s basketball and softball.
The men’s golf team is currently competing in the 2018 Paintbrush Invitational hosted by the University of Denver. Riley Elmes, Mason Glinski, Kyle Kinnane, Raymond Navis, and Michael Mozilo will compete for the Lions. LMU last competed in the Paintbrush in October 2016.
The West Coast Conference has announced the finalized the 2018-19 Men’s basketball schedule on Monday. The Lions will be on Spectrum SportsNet, the television home of the Los Angeles Lakers, seven times this season.
Be the talk of the neighborhood and get ready for the Lions’ 2018-19 basketball season to tip off with LMU branded onto your driveway or lawn in paint. Show off your school spirit and make sure your neighbors know you are LMU fans.