Oct. 16, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
This Week
Friday, October 19
LMU at #3 Portland (11-1-0, 1-0-0 WCC)
Merlo Field - 7:00 p.m.
Live stats, audio, and video available online at www.PortlandPilots.com
Sunday, October 21
LMU at Gonzaga (5-7-2, 0-1-0 WCC)
Gonzaga Soccer Field - 1:00 p.m.
Gametracker and live video available online at www.gozags.com
Briefly
With the West Coast Conference schedule in full swing, LMU focuses its attention on the Pacific Northwest as it travels up the coast to take on #3 Portland and Gonzaga. The Lions won their conference opener but need a good showing this weekend to carry that momentum back to L.A., where LMU closes out the year with three of four at home.
Listen To And Follow The Lions Live On The Web
Loyola Marymount University, in conjunction with Stretch Internet, is proud to present FREE live audio broadcasts over the World Wide Web on www.LMULions.com. Join commentators Spencer Moniz and Anthony Dato-on for all the Lion home games in 2008. Just click on the "Listen" or "Archive" link next to the game of your choice. All broadcasts will be archived within 72 hours of their original airing and will include both the pre-game and post-game shows.
All home games and select away games will be available live on Gametracker through the LMU website. Check www.LMULions.com for all Gametracker live stats information.
Media Guide
The 2008 LMU women's soccer media guide is now available to 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 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.
About Portland (#3 NSCAA/TopDrawer, #5 Soccerbuzz/Soccertimes)
One of the premier programs in America, Portland has suffered just one defeat in 12 matches this season and is on a 10-game winning streak. Last weekend, the Pilots opened conference play with a 4-0 victory at Gonzaga thanks to a pair of goals from Sophie Schmidt. UP has outscored opponents 40-3 on the season with Danielle Foxhoven leading the way with a WCC-high 11 goals.
Head Coach Garrett Smith is in his fifth season at Portland, guiding the Pilots to three WCC titles and a 107-16-7 record. Portland went 18-4-0 in 2007 and an undefeated 7-0-0 in conference play, advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals. They bring back 14 letterwinners and five starters.
LMU has yet to register a victory in the series, having gone 0-14-1 against the Pilots. Last year, UP won 2-0 in Portland in the regular season finale.
About Gonzaga (5-7-2, 0-1-0 WCC)
After starting the 2008 season 4-2-0, Gonzaga has just one victory in its last eight matches, going 1-5-2. Last weekend, the Bulldogs dropped a 4-0 home decision to Portland. Sheridan Jones leads Gonzaga with three goals and seven points.
This is Shannon Stiles' 10th season as head coach in Spokane, where she is 77-100-10. The Bulldogs went 12-7-1 last season, placing fifth in the WCC with a 3-4-0 record. They return 17 letterwinners and six starters.
LMU has dominated the series with Gonzaga, posting a record of 12-2-2. The Lions are undefeated in their last three matches, tying in 2005 and winning 1-0 in 2006 and 2007. LMU is 5-1-1 when playing in Spokane.
Last Week Recap: Lions Down Pepperdine 1-0 in Overtime
The 2008 WCC season got off to an exciting start as LMU and Pepperdine battled to 90 minutes of goalless action on Saturday. With the game in its first overtime period, the Lions made the necessary adjustment to break through, sending sophomore Kelley Lawson into the game with three minutes left. Twelve seconds later, Lawson ended the contest with her first career goal, one-timing a cross from sophomore Lily Sorentino into the back of the net for a 1-0 LMU victory. Junior GK Allyssa Clark was strong in goal, recording her sixth shutout of the season and third in a row.
Home Unbeaten Streak Extended
After dropping its home opener last season, LMU rattled off 10 straight victories at Sullivan Field and carried that winning streak into the 2008 campaign. That streak has extended to 16 unbeaten now that LMU is 4-0-2 at home in 2008. In conference play, the Lions are unbeaten in their last five home matches.
Lions in the Regional Rankings
For all nine weeks this season, LMU has bounced between the "receiving votes" category and top-15 for the Soccerbuzz.com West Region rankings. This week, after two straight weeks receiving votes, they are back in the rankings at #14. This runs their streak of consecutive weeks in the West Rankings to 18. Nationally, LMU is 53rd in the NCAA's initial RPI ratings of 2008.
Shanklin Picks Up the Slack
After coming off the bench to score three goals on just seven shots in 2007, Lauren Shanklin continues to display incredible efficiency. In 2008, Shanklin leads the Lions with four goals on a mere eight shots, ranking her sixth in the WCC in goals. Beyond that, her strikes have come at the best times. In the opener against UNLV, the senior started the game on the bench but made the most of her opportunity, scoring on her first shot of the season as she rebounded a saved free-kick to give the Lions a tie with the Rebels. Her subsequent goals against UC Irvine, Cal State Bakersfield, and Oral Roberts have all been the first of the game in eventual LMU wins. Her four goals top her career-high of three from last season and give her nine for her career. Pretty impressive for someone who has played just 48 games and attempted only 26 shots.
The New "Gloved One"
For the second time this season, junior Allyssa Clark has notched three straight shutouts, having not allowed a goal in the last 310:15. Her six shutouts this season put her tied for seventh in a year and tied for fifth in a career at LMU. Clark has started all 13 games and has registered 68 saves, which leads the WCC and is eighth all-time in a single season at LMU. Earlier this year, Clark went a stretch of 292:31 minutes from September 5-19 without allowing a goal, posting consecutive shutouts against Harvard, Cal State Bakersfield, and Utah. Clark has allowed one or fewer goals in 10 of the 13 matches and had a career-high 10 saves at #5 USC. Her goals-against-average of 1.04 is fourth in the WCC while she ranks 67th nationally in save percentage (0.829) and 80th in saves per game.
Sorentino Plays Supplier
With the departure of LMU's top two scorers from 2007, much of the scoring slack was expected to be picked up by sophomore Lily Sorentino. Through the season's first 10 games, Sorentino displayed her unselfish side as she notched four assists. She broke a personal 13-game scoring drought in dramatic fashion on October 3, heading home the game-winning goal against Cal State Northridge with 24 seconds left in regulation. She then went back to playing assist-maker with the game-winning pass against Pepperdine.
After providing a team-high six assists as a freshman, Sorentino now has five this year and 11 for her career, tying her for sixth on the LMU all-time list. She is tied for third in the WCC this year in assists.
Gallivanting Gallaudet
Some players are able to slip in undetected to punish their opponents. Count sophomore Julie Gallaudet among that group. As a freshman, Gallaudet provided one assist in seven games as she bounced between playing in the defense and up front. This year, she has firmly established herself as a striker with three goals and an assist in 10 games. After scoring her first career goal in the win over UC Irvine, Gallaudet exploded for two goals and an assist for a career- and LMU season-high five points in the victory over Oral Roberts, accounting for three of LMU's four goals in the contest. In doing so, she became the first Lion to score two goals and to register five points in a game since Lauren Shanklin did it against Lamar on Sept. 14, 2007.
LMU Against Ranked Opponents
LMU's match against USC was its fourth against a top-25 opponent during the 2008 regular season and the Lions are on track to play six ranked opponents, tying the school record for most in a season. The four matches so far in 2008 have all come on the road and all resulted in LMU losses. In 2008, LMU is 0-4-0 against top-25 opponents and 4-0-2 against the rest. The Lions are 10-33-4 all-time against top-25 teams and have lost their last six in a row. LMU's last victory over a ranked squad came on September 24, 2006 against USC.
Terrific Tiff
Coming off back-to-back All-WCC years, junior Tiffany Harrison's goal in 2008 was to get forward more and make a difference. After being named to the All-Tournament Team at the Inn at Saint Mary's Classic, she has done just that, tying her career-high with two goals and an assist, with all of her points coming on game-winning goals. Her goals in back-to-back games against UC Irvine and Harvard were both game-winners and earned her a place on the Soccerbuzz.com Elite Team of the Week for September 9. Her assist proved the difference in the win over Cal State Northridge. Harrison now has five goals for her career.
Mallia Reaches Milestone
LMU's 3-1 triumph over UC Irvine on September 5 not only was the team's first of the year, but it also gave Head Coach Joe Mallia his 100th career coaching victory. Mallia entered his second season at LMU sitting on 99 career victories after amassing 87 of those at Loyola (Md.), with 12 more coming in his first season at LMU.
