Posted: Mar 29, 2014
SANTA CLARA, Calif.- The No. 18 Broncos traveled down to Los Angeles to play their first conference games of the season. The Broncos went 1-1 for the weekend, picking up a win over Azusa Pacific, but fell to No. 11 Loyola Marymount.
On Friday, the Broncos went up against Azusa Pacific. Off an earned ejection, Elle Surber was able to convert the man-up opportunity to give the Broncos the 1-0 lead. The Cougars went on a three-goal run to take the lead and end the first period 3-1.
Off another earned ejection, Ashleigh Bandimere found the back of the net to bring the Broncos within one. The Cougars put one more goal in, but with goals by Elizabeth Anderson and Laura Burtness, the Broncos tied the game 4-4. Jenny Anderson scored one more for the Broncos, but the Cougars held onto the lead, 6-5.
Jenny Anderson and Burtness put in two more goals for the Broncos, but it wasn't enough to take the lead. The Cougars held onto the 8-7 advantage. Kaitlin Murphy tied the game eight all in the final seconds of the third period.
After some missed man-up opportunities in the beginning of the fourth, Elizabeth Anderson put in a goal giving the Broncos the 9-8 advantage. June Afshar shutout the Cougars and with one more goal by Surber, the Broncos left with their first conference win, 10-8.
Next up, the LMU Lions. The Broncos started off strong with a penalty shot that Sheridan put in for a goal, 1-0. The Lions tied the game up, but Surber answered right back keeping the 2-1 advantage. The Lions put in two goals and took the lead to end the first quarter.
After battling up and down the pool for the first half of the second quarter, Murphy broke the silence with just under two minutes to play to tie the game three all. The Lions converted a man-up opportunity to take the lead back and take it into half 4-3.
Murphy came out firing to start the third, single-handedly tying the game and then scoring two more to make it 6-4, Bronco advantage. The Lions went on a two-goal run to tie the game for the fourth time, 6-6.
The Lions continued their run into the fourth, scoring two more. Surber put in one more goal for the Broncos, but it wasn't enough. The Lions finished with the 9-7 win over the Broncos.
The Broncos will continue their conference play next weekend. The team will travel to Fresno Pacific on April 5 and will host both conference rival the University of Pacific and Cal State East Bay on April 6.