Follow San Francisco Men's Soccer: FACEBOOK | TWITTER
 
SAN FRANCISCO—The Dons had rally after rally, shot after shot be sent away by the Loyola Marymount defense on Sunday as they took 24 shots in a 3-1 non-conference loss, snapping a short two-game winning streak.
 
"They played well, they created many chances," San Francisco head coach Eddie Soto said. "The difference was their goalkeeper. Vince [Paldino] had an incredible game. You take 24 shots and he saves 12 of them, you kind of walk away and tip your cap to him."
 
This was the second of three games against West Coast Conference opponents that will not count against the conference record and Loyola Marymount was the preseason favorite chosen by the coaches.
 
"We played well and if that's who we have to go through to get to the championship, I'm looking forward to going down there and playing them again," Soto said. "I thought we had a good match. We just could get it in with some of these crosses."
 
San Francisco (6-3-1) was on the attack from the opening kick.
 
In the fourth minute, the Dons tried to attack in the box early when Manny Padilla delivered a ball from about 35 yards out to nearly find Davi Ramos on a header but it was broken up by LMU goalkeeper Vince Paldino. It was only four minutes later that the Dons had another chance when David Romney crossed the ball inform the left and nearly found a slashing Ramos but it scooted by and was cleared by the Lions.
 
Miguel Aguilar had two looks of his own but had one go just wide right and the other was deflected off the back of one of his own teammates. Aguilar came close to capitalizing on a header after Paldino went after a 50-50 ball, opening up the goal, but an LMU defender was there at the goal line to head it away.
 
The Lions kept the pressure on and finally broke through in the 21st minute when Jack McCracken delivered a cross from about 40 yards out and found the head of Sampson near the far post for the goal, putting LMU up 1-0.
 
San Francisco tried to answer in the 36th minute when Padilla sent in a cross to the front of the goal and nearly found the foot of Danny Kirkland but it shot by the senior midfielder.
 
Heading into the second half, the Dons went back to Kamron Crow, who helped the Dons stead the offense on Friday, and did the same on Sunday.
 
"He's a great link-up player for us," Soto said. "He does a really good job of getting the ball into good spots and helped us get into a nice little rhythm. Kamron brings a different element. He's not just technically good. He's also physically sound."
 
After the Lions scored its second goal early in the second half, the Dons got their offense going. In the 58th minute, Kirkland took a give-and-go off a short corner kick and had his short blocked but it ricocheted to Christian De Luna who made a leaping kick but hi shot was saved by Paldino.
 
San Francisco kept on the attack and second later got a free kick, which was taken from about 30 yards out by Ramos and he found Bryce Kaminski for the diving header and the goal to make it a 2-1 game.
 
"He's been so close to scoring and today, the goal he got was well deserved," Soto said. "He's been working really hard and training really hard. It was finally time. It was a great goal. Hopefully this gives him more confidence in his play and looks to add to that."
 
The Dons had several opportunities after the Kaminski goal but was unable to find the net. USF had 24 shots and put 13 on goal, including 15 shots and seven on goal in the second half, in the loss.
 
"We were just a little unlucky in the result," Soto said.
 
San Francisco will get a full week to recover as they will take on Santa Clara at Buckshaw Stadium next Sunday.