UCSB scored twice in the final seven minutes Sunday to hand Loyola Marymount a 3-1 loss at Sullivan Field. The Lions (1-1-2) got on the board first but the Gauchos (3-0-0) responded with three goals to dash the home team’s upset hopes.
Senior forward Chris Pontius, on the Hermann Trophy watch list, scored his third goal of the young season, knotting the game at 1-1 at 15:30. Junior Martin Hedevag and Michael Tetteh, a freshman from Dunn School, added their first goals of the season late in the second half, with Hedevag scoring at 82:36 and Tetteh following with his goal at 87:09.
LMU entered the game with one win and two ties against ranked teams this season and were looking to claim their highest-ranked pelt in the form of the Gauchos. Things started well for the Lions as the striking duo of senior Jawaan Delaney and freshman Kyle Johanson linked up to give the Lions the lead after 13 minutes.
LMU’s lead would not last long, however, as the Gauchos were quick to strike back. Just two minutes after Johanson’s opener, Pontius, UCSB’s leading scorer, latched onto a through-ball from Bryan Dominguez and lifted a chip past LMU freshman goalie Jack McCormack.
Johanson nearly gave the lead right back to the Lions two minutes later, beating UCSB keeper Trond Helge Takset, but his attempt was cleared off the line by a defender. The Lions had another golden chance in the 30th minute but sophomore Rafael Baca’s shot sailed wide and the teams went into the locker room tied 1-1.
As the game wore on, the physical play increased with both sides battling hard for the ball. The teams looked to be heading to overtime before the Gauchos caught the Lions twice on counter-attacks to put the match away. In the 82nd minute, Pontius fed Hedevag from the right side, with Hedevag finishing past McCormack from 12 yards out.
With time ticking away and the Lions pressing forward for the equalizer, UCSB countered one more time. After a broken Lions attack, the Gauchos sent numbers forward on a four-on-two break. Tetteh carried the ball for
a good 20 yards before unleashing a left-footed shot from 23 yards that found the lower right corner.
UCSB held a 15-12 shot advantage, forcing McCormack into four saves. Takset stopped two shots for the Gauchos.
For the second game in a row, the Gauchos had two players receive yellow cards. Senior Alfonso Motagalvan was handed his second yellow in as many matches and Tetteh was also given a yellow card after he scored his goal. Motagalvan was given a red card in UCSB’s victory over Westmont as well, but didn’t have to sit out because the game was merely an exhibition.
The Gauchos will face Rutgers on Friday in Piscataway, N.J.
Matt Hurst is UCSB‘s assistant media relations director.