Drovers Title-Drive Past Chaps

CHICKASHA, Okla. (November 10, 2011) - It was a 90 minute game, but it took less than 15 minutes for Lubbock Christian University to see their dreams of their first Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament title slip away, as No.24 University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma scored a pair of goals in the opening 15 minutes and claimed the tournament title with a 4-0 win over the Chaparrals Thursday afternoon.  The Drovers claim an automatic berth to the 2011 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship and the Chaparrals will have to desperately hope for an at-large berth.

USAO was ready to go from the start.  Defensive miscues and miscommunication with Chaps goalkeeper Hunter Ganze led to the opening goals.  Perry Sansford scored the opening goal 8:59 into the game and Dusan Rasovic capitalized 14:44 into the game to give USAO a 2-0 lead on their first two shots on goal of the game. The Chaps had a their best scoring chance late in the first half when a long lead pass placed Billy Forbes alone on goal at the top of the box, but he panicked and kicked the ball well over the goal on a rushed shot.  LCU trailed 2-0 at halftime.

Niall Crick, who assisted on both of the first two goals, added to the lead with a booming kick from 30 yards out that went above the reach of Ganze and into the net in the 64^th minute for a 3-0 advantage.  The Drovers closed the scoring with Nicolas Alberto scoring on a loose scramble in the 72^nd minute.  Ganze had come out to play a lead pass and had thought Alberto was offsides, but Alberto played the ball and the official did not whistle the play dead.  Tim Saucedo played in goal for the final 16 minutes for LCU and made one save.

The Chaps were out-shot 16-4 in the game with a 10-1 advantage in shots-on-goals. Jorge Martinez had the only shot on goal for LCU.  The shutout for USAO was their tenth of the season.  Bryan Byars was the winning keeper for USAO.

LCU, a second-year soccer program without a senior on the team, finished second in the SAC regular season and they finish second in the SAC Tournament.  The Chaps record goes to 14-4-3, while the Drovers cap the SAC Tournament title with a 16-4 overall record.  LCU had a shutout sequence of 273:53 end with the Drovers opening goal.  The four goals allowed is the most allowed in a game this season by the Chaps.