Sept. 30, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

This Week

LMU (5-3-0, 0-0-0 WCC) vs. San Francisco (3-3-1, 0-0-0 WCC)
Friday, October 2 • 4:00 p.m.
Sullivan Field • Los Angeles, Calif.
Gametracker and live audio available through LMULions.com

Briefly
It is said that if you want to be the champion, you have to beat the champion. LMU looks to put that mantra into action this week as it puts aside its most successful non-conference season since 2003 and focuses on the quest for the program's first-ever West Coast Conference title. To start that quest, the Lions must first go through defending champions San Francisco, who visit Sullivan Field for the conference opener on Friday at 4 p.m.

There are two TEAM LMU Games of the Week on the docket: Thursday's women's volleyball match against 20th-ranked San Diego and Friday men's soccer match against San Francisco. Both games are sponsored by Career Development Services. The purpose of TEAM LMU is to bring Lion fans together as one, creating an atmosphere that helps build the Lions into champions, while allowing all to enjoy the benefits of our corporate partners. For more information about TEAM LMU, log on to www.LMULions.com/teamlmu.

Guide Available Online
The 2009 LMU men's soccer guide is now available online for viewing and download at www.LMULions.com. This is the only source of copies of the guide.

Coming to a Game?
If you are planning to attend a game at LMU this season, then be sure to reserve your tickets today by ordering online at www.LMULions.com or by calling the LMU Ticket Office at (310) 338-LION. The Loyola Marymount University campus is located in Westchester at 1 LMU Drive, approximately four miles north of the Los Angeles International Airport. Visitors must use the main entrance off of Lincoln Blvd. on LMU Drive. Parking for Sullivan Field will be in General Parking Lot A.

Lions Audio Network
Once again, in conjunction with Stretch Internet, all LMU home games will be broadcast live online at www.LMULions.com. Just click on the "Listen Live" link on the men's soccer home page, then click on "Listen" or "Archive" next to the game of your choice. All broadcasts will be archived within 72 hours of their original airing and will include both the 15-minute pre-game show and post-game interviews.

LMU Sports Weekly
"LMU Sports Weekly" is a special inside look at LMU Athletics each and every week only through the Lions' Audio Network on Stretch Internet. Airing every Wednesday around 4 p.m., the show will feature interviews, audio highlights, and pregame and postgame interviews. In addition to being able to listen online, fans will also be able to download each and every episode via ITunes Podcasts by searching "LMU" in the iTunes Store. Or find the podcast at www.LMULions.com/multimedia.

Inside the Lions
"Inside the Lions" hosted by Jarred DuBois is a special look into LMU Athletics and its student-athletes in a 10 to 15 minute show hosted by a student-athlete, sophomore men's basketball guard Jarred DuBois. Airing roughly twice a month, each episode will highlight a student-athlete and give an inside look to why LMU is such a special place. In addition, highlights from top games and other game day features will be within the show. Take a look at the newest show or past shows at www.LMULions.com/multimedia.

Follow the Lions Online
Log on to www.LMULions.com for all the latest info on the Lions, including updated schedules, rosters, player bios, and more. Don't forget to also sign up to follow the Lions on Facebook (Facebook.com/LMULions) and Twitter (Twitter.com/LMULions). For more inside information, follow along with sophomore Tyler Krumpe as he blogs weekly about the team, classes, and anything else that catches his fancy.

LMU Receiving Votes in National Top-25
After being absent from any national rankings since early in the 2006 season, LMU made its long-awaited return to the top-25 two weeks ago, checking in at #18 in the Soccer America national rankings. The win over #5 Dartmouth did nothing but improve the Lions' national stature as they then climbed into four of the polls: #20 in Soccer America, #25 in Soccer Times, #28 in Top Drawer Soccer, and #30 in College Soccer News. However, after going 1-1 last week, LMU has since dropped out of all the polls, although the Lions are receiving votes in the Soccer Times and College Soccer News polls. The Lions are also 34th in the Top Drawer Soccer national rankings.
LMU was last ranked on August 30, 2006, when it got as high as 18th in the Soccer America poll following its upset win over then-#2 Connecticut. The Lions were also ranked 22nd in the College Soccer News poll and #23 in the Soccer Times poll. LMU fell out of each of the rankings the following week and had not been back since.

Last Week Recap
Offense was hard to come by in LMU's two games last week as the Lions split their matches, beating UC Riverside 1-0 and falling 1-0 at Cal State Bakersfield. On Thursday, LMU played just its second home game of the year, hosting UCR. A scoreless game was not devoid of drama, as the Highlanders had a man sent off and hit the woodwork twice. It was the Lions, however, who would break through, scoring the game's only goal three minutes from the end. Junior Vincent Ocampo led a counterattack through the middle and fed the ball out wide to sophomore Artur Jozkowicz, who side-stepped a defender and squared the ball to freshman Chris Bernardi to finish into the roof of the net. In goal, freshman Max Young recorded his first career shutout with four saves. The Lions would be on the other end of the scoreline on Sunday as they saw their two-match winning streak snapped by Cal State Bakersfield.

About the San Francisco Dons (3-3-1, 0-0-0 WCC)
The preseason favorites to repeat as conference champions and ranked in a pair of national polls, San Francisco is 1-3-1 over its last five games after opening the season with two straight wins. Last weekend, the Dons required double overtime in both their contests, beating San Jose State 2-1 and tying #25 Brown 1-1. USF found itself trailing San Jose State before Conor Chinn equalized six minutes from the end to force OT. Justin Warren then volleyed in the game-winner with 100 seconds showing on the clock. On Sunday, Chinn scored his team-leading fourth goal of the year to put USF up against Brown but the visitors pulled level in the 82nd minute and the score would stay knotted through both overtimes.
Last year, the Dons started slowly but won the WCC with a 7-4-1 record and went 9-10-1 overall. They were eliminated by Cal in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. LMU and USF had two very different meetings last year. The Dons squeaked out a 1-0 win in San Francisco but LMU had its revenge in a wild 5-4 home victory in the season finale to snap an eight-match losing streak to the Dons. USF leads the overall series 23-4-1.

Rafael Baca - Hermann Trophy Candidate
Junior forward Rafael Baca made history during the preseason, becoming the first Loyola Marymount men's soccer player to be included on the Hermann Trophy Watch List. The Hermann Trophy, awarded by the Missouri Athletic Club, is awarded annually to the nation's top player and is the highest individual honor in intercollegiate soccer. Baca is one of 38 players from across the nation to be included on the 2009 list and joins Conor Chinn of San Francisco as the only representatives from the West Coast Conference.
Baca's Career Highlights:
• WCC Player of the Week (Sept. 21, 2009).
• 2009 Preseason All-WCC Team.
• 2008 First Team All-WCC (5 G, 1 A, 11 Pts).
• 2008 Third Team NSCAA/adidas All-West Region.
• 2007 All-WCC Second Team (2 G, 5 A, 9 Pts).
• 2007 WCC All-Freshman Team.
• Led LMU in scoring in each of his first two seasons.
• Team captain as both a sophomore and a junior.
• Career stats: 47 GP, 47 GS, 12 Goals, 6 Assists, 30 Points

LMU in WCC Openers
LMU is entering its 22nd season in the WCC and is 5-16-1 overall in conference openers. Many of those losses came in the early years, though, as LMU is 4-4-1 since 2000. When opening conference play at home, LMU is 3-3-0 under Krumpe.

Streak Snapping
LMU has already halted one losing streak this year - that of the 17-match winless streak away from Sullivan Field - but has another to contend with. The Lions enter WCC play winless in their last 13 conference matches on the road. LMU's last win at a conference opponent was October 22, 2006 at Gonzaga, more than two seasons ago.

Home Cookin'
The Lions haven't played many home games this year but they have been sure to protect their territory, winning both non-conference home matches in 2009. Add that to LMU's three-match home winning streak to end the 2008 campaign and the Lions are on a nice little five-match run at Sullivan Field, including four shutouts. LMU hasn't had a home winning streak this long since winning six in a row bridging the 2005-2006 seasons.

No Shortage of Thrills
Do you like dramatic soccer? If so, take in an LMU game. Seven of the Lions' eight non-conference games were decided by a solitary goal, with three finishing with a 1-0 scoreline. The Lions seem to enjoy the tension, having posted a 5-2 record when games are decided by a single goal. That's a far cry from last year, when LMU was 6-5-5 in games decided by one goal or fewer.

Baca Back Atop the Charts
In each of his first two seasons at LMU, Rafael Baca led the Lions in scoring. There's no reason for him to change that pattern now that he is a junior as he is once again leading the Lions after his two-goal performances at San Diego State and vs. #5 Dartmouth, and the opener at #6 UCSB.
A Hermann Trophy candidate for the nation's best player, Baca leads the team and the conference with five goals and ten points in six games, both of which put him among the top 82 players nationally. Even more impressive than Baca's scoring numbers has been how efficient he has been this season. After needing 67 shots to score five goals in 2008, he scored his five goals on his first 15 shots of 2009 and has only taken 21 shots overall. His 119 career shot attempts are sixth all-time at the school. He has also moved into the LMU career top-10 for goals, tying for ninth with 12, and his four career game-winning goals are tied for fourth all-time at LMU.
Despite being named to the Preseason All-WCC Team this year, the All-WCC First Team last year, and to the Second and All-Freshman Teams in 2007, it wasn't until September 21 of this year that Baca picked up his first career WCC Player of the Week award, earning the honor after scoring twice, including the game-winner with nine minutes left, in the upset of #5 Dartmouth. That performance also earned him a place on the San Diego Nike Classic All-Tournament Team and a spot on the Soccer America Team of the Week.

Rolling Three-Deep in Goal
Head Coach Paul Krumpe said at the beginning of the year that any one of his goalkeepers could start at any program on the west coast. Eight games into the season, his words ring prophetic as all three of the Lions' keepers have proved themselves worthy of starting.
Fifth-year senior Patrick Sampson has started three games in 2009 after posting the second-highest GAA in school history in 2008. He has a 1.60 GAA this year, and is a candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.
Redshirt sophomore Jack McCormack got his shot in the home opener and recorded his first career shutout with a 1-0 victory over San Jose State and moved his record to 2-0 with a win over #5 Dartmouth. He ranks second in the WCC with 4.33 saves per game and a .812 save percentage while leading the trio with 13 saves.
All redshirt freshman Max Young did was earn WCC Player of the Week honors after defeating #6 UC Santa Barbara in his collegiate debut and followed that up with his first career shutout against UC Riverside. Young is the only Lion keeper not to suffer a loss this year and has a GAA of 0.80. So who's going to start between the pipes next game? Stay tuned.

Big Shot Bernardi
If Rafael Baca is LMU's Superman, then freshman Chris Bernardi is its Boy Wonder. Bernardi has played just 131 collegiate minutes but already has two game-winning goals to his credit, which puts him in a tie for sixth in a single-season at LMU. Bernardi notched his first career strike in the home opener against San Jose State, popping up in the penalty box to fire home the game-winner in a 1-0 victory. He then did the same thing against UC Riverside, scoring the game-winner with three minutes left in the 1-0 win. Coincidentally, not only have both of Bernardi's goals been game-winners, but both have come at home, both have been the only goal in a 1-0 victory, and both came off assists from sophomore Artur Jozkowicz and junior Vincent Ocampo.

Lions Off to Best Start Since 2002
At 5-3-0, LMU posted its best non-conference mark since the WCC switched to a double round-robin format in 2004. The Lions also had their first non-conference winning season since 2006, when they went 4-3-0.

LMU vs. Ranked Opponents
Head Coach Paul Krumpe has always made it a point to schedule difficult opponents and this year is no different. The Lions have already faced three ranked opponents during the non-conference slate, marking the 10th straight season that the Lions have matched up against a top-25 school before WCC play begins. LMU performed well, going 2-1-0 in this year's three consecutive games against ranked schools (#6 UC Santa Barbara, #15 Michigan State, and #5 Dartmouth) but it is nothing compared to last year, when the Lions opened the year with six straight top-25 contests, going 1-2-3. Overall, the Lions have fared well against the nation's best, turning in a record of 24-36-7, including posting seven wins on the road. LMU has also defeated a ranked foe in every season this decade and has two or more victories against a top-25 opponent in eight of the last nine seasons. Since 2001, the Lions are 23-23-4 vs. the top-25.

Everyone Helps
Sure, LMU's nine goals in 2009 have come from only four sources (Baca 5, Bernardi 2, Steffen Canty and Phil Da Silva 1 each), but several Lions have figured into the build-up to those nine goals. Through the season's first eight games, nine different Lions have recorded at least one assist, and none of them have been Baca or Bernardi. Senior William Johnson, junior Vincent Ocampo, and sophomore Artur Jozkowicz each have two assists to lead that category while sixth other players have one assist.

Krumpe Reaches His Century in Historic Win
Already the winningest coach in LMU history, Paul Krumpe hit a personal milestone on September 13 when he recorded his 100th career coaching victory in LMU's 2-1 victory at then-#6 UC Santa Barbara. Now in his 12th season with the Lions, Krumpe enters this week's play with a record of 101-95-25 and is the fourth active WCC coach to achieve the feat.

- GO LIONS -