ATHLETICS | The LMU men’s golf team shot a 284-285-285—854 to earn a top-five finish for the first time this season. The Lions placed fourth overall in the field of 19 in the Loyola Intercollegiate Tournament at the Palm Valley Golf Club Goodyear, Arizona. The Lions were led by the first career runner-up finish from junior Gavin Cohen.
Eli Scott scored LMU’s final 10 points Thursday as the Lions tried to mount a second-half comeback for the second time this season against Saint Mary’s. LMU men’s basketball brought it within four in the final minute of regulation, before the Gaels won the game, 57-51. On Saturday, Keli Leaupepe topped his previous career high with 25 points against Portland in the final road conference game of the season. LMU men’s basketball team never trailed against the Pilots, earning a 66-58 win. This week, the Lions will close out the regular season with two home games. LMU will host Pacific on Thursday, with student-athletes to be recognized for their academics at halftime. The final home game will be preceded by the Hank Gathers statue unveiling outside of Gersten Pavilion. The ceremony will begin at 4 p.m., with the game against San Francisco to follow at 5 p.m. Senior Erik Johansson will be honored before his final home game.
The West Coast Conference will induct its 12th annual Hall of Honor class on Saturday, March 7, at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ten individuals, one from each member institution, will be honored as part of the 2020 University Credit Union West Coast Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball tournaments. LMU’s Terrell Lowery will be inducted following his career as an LMU basketball and baseball player. A three-time all-WCC performer, twice on the first team, in men’s basketball, Lowery also earned WCC All-Conference Honorable Mention honors in baseball for the Lions in 1991.
The Lions women’s basketball team played a close first half against No. 13 Gonzaga, as the team closed out the second quarter tied. The Lions dropped the second half, closing out the game 75-47. LMU plays its last game in Gersten Pavilion of the 2019-20 season on Senior Day, where the Lions honored senior Raychel Stanley before their game against Portland. Stanley put together an impressive career as a Lion and closed out her last home game with 17 points. The Lions will take their last road trip of the season next week to take on BYU and San Diego.
LMU’s baseball team split their midweek games last week, dropping the Tuesday game at No. 8 UCLA, before earning a comeback win at home on Wednesday. The Lions were the beneficiaries of an error from CSU Bakersfield’s second basemen and took advantage by bringing in seven runs in the bottom of the eighth to seal a 7-1 victory over the Roadrunners. The Lions were swept on the road to Sam Houston State, and now return to the friendly confines of Page Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 25, when the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos pay a visit with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. The game is the first of four between the Lions and Gauchos throughout the season with the final three being played May 8-11.
The LMU baseball game at Gonzaga on Saturday, April 11 has been selected by ESPNU for a nationally televised broadcast. The game between the Lions and Bulldogs was originally scheduled for noon but has now been moved to 6 p.m. for the national audience.
The softball team swept its first day of the LMU Tournament, as the Lions picked up a 3-2 win over Sacramento State in a walk-off, and then beat Quinnipiac University 5-1. On Saturday, the Lions beat Quinnipiac University, winning 9-1, and then had to cancel their second game of the day after a lightning delay. The tournament ended on Sunday with a 14-1 loss to Delaware. The Lions will be back in action next week, as the team will participate in the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, California.
The women’s water polo team competed in UC Irvine’s three-day Barbara Kalbus Invitational, with No. 16 LMU dropping its opening game against No. 4 USC, 20-8. Following two early season losses to Long Beach State, the LMU women’s water polo team upended the Beach on Saturday for the first time this season. The 11-8 win by the Lions, set LMU up to play No. 7 California in the evening game, which resulted in a 12-6 Golden Bears win. LMU earned its second win in as many days over a higher-ranked team to close out the 2020 Barbara Kalbus Invitational. The Lions used overtime to defeat No. 13 San Jose State in the 11th-place game, 13-10. The Claremont Convergence on March 6-7 is next for the Lions.
The Loyola Marymount University beach volleyball team dropped its first match of the season on Thursday at UCLA, as the team fell to the Bruins 5-0. LMU followed that season-opener with a pair of sweeps over St. Katherine and Vanguard. The Lions will play Pepperdine and Cal Poly on Saturday in San Luis Obispo, California.
The Loyola Marymount University men’s tennis team dropped a neutral-site match against the University of Oregon on Friday afternoon, losing 5-2 in San Diego, California. The team also fell in their first conference game to San Diego. The Lions will head to Salt Lake City, Utah, next week to take on Pac-12 Conference opponent Utah.
LMU women’s tennis team will next play at USC on Feb. 29 for a noon match.
The Loyola Marymount University Lions men’s and women’s track team had their first competition of the 2020 season last weekend at the Pomona-Pitzer All-Comers meet at Strehle Track. The Lions also competed against West Coast Conference foes Santa Clara, Pacific and Saint Mary’s in the West Coast Invitational Quad Meet on Saturday. Next up for the Lions is the Long Beach State Beach Opener on March 7 where LMU will look to post more personal and season bests.
The women’s rowing crew hosted UC Santa Barbra in Marina del Rey, on Feb. 16 at 8 am. Following the successful scrimmage against the USC Trojans, the Lions are looking ahead to taking on the Gauchos in the annual meet and are hoping to put down some strong results. After this weekend, the team will be gearing up for another home race March 14 in Marina del Rey against the UCLA Bruins.
The men’s rowing team traveled Newport Beach, California, to compete in the annual Parker Cup on Feb. 22, against San Diego State and UC Irvine. After the Parker Cup, the men’s rowing team will return to Newport Beach on Feb. 29 for their first appearance at the UC Challenge Cup against other Southern California collegiate crews.