University of San Francisco Athletics

Box Score

SAN FRANCISCO—The Dons looked to exact some revenge against first place Loyola Marymount on Sunday but the second round played out very much like the first and the Lions used a late goal to propel them to the 1-0 victory on Sunday afternoon.
 
It was a critical juncture in the Dons' season and had the opportunity to get within three points of LMU but with the loss, they drop nine points behind the WCC leader and the chance of winning a conference championship becomes very thin.
 
"They played hard, they defended well, they were physical," San Francisco head coach Erik Visser said. "I thought we were head-to-head, toe-to-toe with the team that will most likely win the conference. I can't ask for anything more."
 
"I thought it was terrific first half. LMU is a very good team. They are very athletic, played with urgency, they have a lot of dynamic players in the final third but I thought we really shut them down in the first half."
 
In the 80th minute, Jack McCracken dribbled from the left side of the field to the middle and found a small opening and kicked it low and just past the outstretched arms of Connor Gaal to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.
 
The Lions began to put more pressure on the Dons offense after an injury forced top goal scorer Miguel Aguilar to leave the game in the 66th minute. After his departure, LMU put up three shots leading up to the go-ahead goal.
 
"It was a real well-balanced game until Miguel came out," Visser said. "When Miguel came out, it tipped the balance. We were not as dangerous anymore. They were finding their creative players in the final third."
 
San Francisco nearly responded in the 84th minute when Michael Shaddock streaked through the middle of the field and unloaded a shot from about 30 yards out that went high.
 
"We moved the ball very well in the midfield," Visser said. "We switched the point of attack very well. I thought Liam [Kelly] and Vegard [Karlsen] did a great job in the midfield in the first half."
 
In the first meeting this season, the Lions scored its only goal in the 77th minute on a defected free kick by Craig Nitti.
 
The Dons had a difficult time breaking through the back four of the Lions which anchored by the 6-foot-5 Nitti. San Francisco had no shots on goal despite taking seven, three by Aguilar. LMU has 11 shots and put five on goal.
 
"The difference between their team and our team is that every opportunity they have, they shoot a goal," Visser said. "At some point something is going to happen whereas we get in the final third and we don't get enough shots off."
 
San Francisco has to rebound quickly with only two off days before it takes on rival Saint Mary's in Moraga on Wednesday. It will wrap up the home schedule next Sunday when they host the other Bay Area rival Santa Clara.
 
Next match
Wednesday, Nov. 6
Opponent: Saint Mary's
Location: Moraga, Calif.
Time: 2 p.m.