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NiallOwens
Mark Duffel

Men's Soccer

`Runners Race Past #17 LMU in Pre-Season Finale

Bakersfield, Calif. – CSU Bakersfield scored four unanswered goals, coming from behind to defeat 17th-ranked Loyola Marymount, 4-1, and close out their pre-season schedule. Niall Owens, Michael Vogel, Eric Whelan and Aodhan O'Hara all scored for the Roadrunners, while goalkeeper Scott Pengelly made four saves to keep the Lions at bay.  
 
The Lions finished an abbreviated spring season with a 6-0-3 record and a West Coast Conference championship. Earlier this week they were tabbed to defend their conference title, along with their lofty, pre-season ranking.
 
After an early LMU goal, Owens evened the score when he pounced on a loose ball at the side of the cage and buried it to shift the matches' momentum for good.
 
"We knew LMU was a really good team, but we weren't bothered by that at all," Owens said. "We know what we have in our dressing room and that we're capable of competing against opponents like the ones we faced this pre-season."  
 
Bakersfield would score three more times in the second half, consistently creating offense against an LMU back line that surrendered just two goals against last spring.
 
The Lions out attempted CSUB, 19-11, but the `Runners put seven shots on target to LMU's five.
 
LMU responded to Owen's equalizer with a strong push late in the first half and into the second, but CSUB's defense was up to the task.  
 
"We had a great week of training after a tough result at Stanford," said CSUB central defender Stephon Marcano. "We organized ourselves as a back five, learned from our mistakes and played a more defensive minded game tonight."
 
Bakersfield finished the exhibition schedule with a 2-1 record, outscoring opponents by a 13-5 margin, including 13-1 in a pair of home games.
 
The `Runners will open the regular season on Aug. 26, when they host San Jose State with kick off scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
13th | Noel Caliskan found Creggton Charlton with a deft through ball, and Charlton finished smartly into the lower left corner to give LMU a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute.   
15th | A wild sequence at the Lion goalmouth culminated when a sliding Niall Owens drove the equalizer into the top of the net from the left post. Vogel and Niklas Roessler picked up assists on the play.
48th | Vogel would put CSUB ahead for good when he finished off a long set piece with a thunderous strike into the far-left side of the goal. Harry Downing started the play with a free kick from his own side of the field before a tremendous flick on from Edgar Gonzalez sent Vogel in alone on the right side.
65th | Roessler grabbed another assist when he worked a give and go with Carlos Armendariz, before finding defender Eric Whelan with an accurate cross into the box. Whelan beat LMU goalkeeper Mitchell Wilson to the spot and scored with his head to make it 3-1.
13th | Aodhan O'Hara capped the scoring after he was sent in alone by Roessler, who pounced on an LMU turnover for his third assist of the night.
 
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Players Mentioned

Carlos Armendariz

#10 Carlos Armendariz

MF
5' 9"
Junior
Harry Downing

#5 Harry Downing

D
6' 0"
Sophomore
Edgar Gonzalez

#16 Edgar Gonzalez

D
5' 8"
Junior
Stephon Marcano

#23 Stephon Marcano

D
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Niall Owens

#21 Niall Owens

F
5' 7"
Junior
Michael Vogel

#24 Michael Vogel

MF/F
5' 8"
Sophomore
Eric Whelan

#4 Eric Whelan

D
6' 1"
Senior
Scott Pengelly

#1 Scott Pengelly

GK
6' 2"
Freshman
Niklas Roessler

#11 Niklas Roessler

MF
5' 11"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Carlos Armendariz

#10 Carlos Armendariz

5' 9"
Junior
MF
Harry Downing

#5 Harry Downing

6' 0"
Sophomore
D
Edgar Gonzalez

#16 Edgar Gonzalez

5' 8"
Junior
D
Stephon Marcano

#23 Stephon Marcano

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
D
Niall Owens

#21 Niall Owens

5' 7"
Junior
F
Michael Vogel

#24 Michael Vogel

5' 8"
Sophomore
MF/F
Eric Whelan

#4 Eric Whelan

6' 1"
Senior
D
Scott Pengelly

#1 Scott Pengelly

6' 2"
Freshman
GK
Niklas Roessler

#11 Niklas Roessler

5' 11"
Senior
MF
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