SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The most improbable of comebacks - a tying goal with 7 seconds left - allowed a short-handed Santa Clara side to tie LMU Friday night at Buck Shaw Stadium.
Trailing 2-0 at the half and playing with 10 men, Santa Clara (5-9-5; 3-5-3 WCC) rallied to score two late goals and play the visiting Lions to a 2-2 draw.
LMU (9-8-2; 4-5-2 WCC) was seemingly in command, assuming an early lead on Sean Sears' goal 13 minutes-in, setup nicely by a touch pass from Artur Jozkowicz. The Lions out-shot Santa Clara 8-3 in the first half and went up by two in the 35th minute when Logan McDaniel found the net from 15 yards out.
With just 12 minutes showing on the game clock and LMU leading 2-0, Ryan Brown was issued a red card leaving SCU to face the deficit short-handed. Erik Hurtado headed-in a well-placed cross by teammate Austin Tenn-McClellan to give the Broncos life with eight minutes remaining. An unbelievable ending to regulation would push the match into overtime.
With time ticking-away the Broncos' offense made one final push - even bringing goalie Naushad Godrej well past midfield. A corner kick as the public address announcer counted down the final 10 seconds sent both teams scrambling for position in front of the LMU net.
Kellen Wantulok lifted the corner deep towards the far side of the box and the far post. A pair of LMU defenders collided and the ball ricocheted off their heads and into the net. A stunned collection of LMU players looked-on as Santa Clara celebrated.
The match was the third of a soccer triple-header at Buck Shaw Stadium on Friday. The First and Second Rounds of the Women's College Cup Tournament are being held on the SCU campus and Buck Shaw served as the site for a pair of opening-round games which had begun at 3 p.m.
Despite being out-numbered Santa Clara generated a number of chances in both overtime sessions. The match ended in a draw at 11:12 p.m.
