TUCSON, Arizona — Andreja Babic (So., Belgrade, Serbia) scored six times to collect Player of the Game recognition as No. 10-ranked/Missouri Valley Division Champion Lindenwood University defeated No. 1/Sierra Pacific Division Champion the University of California, 17-13, to make the title game of the 2018 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship at the University of Arizona.
The 2014, 2015 and 2016 National Champion, the Lions will make their fifth National Championship game appearance as Lindenwood will take on either No. 1/Pacific Coast Division Champion California Polytechnic State University or No. 17/Rocky Mountain Division Champion the University of Utah at 12:45 p.m, on Sunday, November 11, for the title.
Lindenwood never trailed against the Golden Bears as the team built leads of 4-2, 8-7 and 12-9 at the conclusion of the first, second and third quarters to slowly pull away from California before capping it off with a 5-4 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter.
For the Lions. Nikola Vukic (So., Belgrade, Serbia) scored five goals with Vuk Budrak (Fr., Belgrade, Serbia) chipping in a pair. Nikola Nasev (Jr., Belgrade, Serbia), Marino Chorro (So., Madrid, Spain), Guillermo Aguirre (Fr., Madrid, Spain) and Jamie Gambin (So., Sliema, Malta) each found the back of the cage once.
In cage, Arnau Bayer (Fr., Barcelona, Spain) made five saves to earn the win before being relieved by Lance Clark (Gr., St. Charles, Mo.) for the final 38 seconds.
California, which will next be in action at 11:30 a.m. on November 11 in the Third Place game versus the loser of the semifinal between Cal Poly and Utah, received four goals from Noah Feingold (Sr., Palos Verdes, Calif.), a trio by Sam Naugle (Jr., Roseville, Calif.) and solo tallies by Finnegan Edwards (Fr., Santa Barbara, Calif.), Jackson Hettler (Jr., Mill Valley, Calif.), Mark Presten (So., Lafayette, Calif.), Thomas Lane (Sr., Rigatti, Calif.) and Daniel Tang (Sr., Walnut Creek, Calif.). Goalie Carter Chan (Jr., Orinda, Calif.) took the loss with four saves.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| University of California | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | – | 13 |
| Lindenwood University | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | – | 17 |
| Lindenwood Goals: | Andreja Babic (6); Nikola Vukic (5); Vuk Budrak (2); Nikola Nasev; Marino Chorro; Guillermo Aguirre; Jamie Gambin | |||||
| California Goals: | Noah Feingold (4); Sam Naugle (3); Finnegan Edwards; Jackson Hettler; Mark Presten; Thomas Lane; Daniel Tang | |||||
| Saves: | Lindenwood – Arnau Bayer (5), Lance Clark (0) ; California – Carter Chan (4) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Lindenwood – 23 ; California – 11 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Lindenwood – 4-for-11 ; California – 5-for-23 | |||||
| Sprints: | Lindenwood – 1-for-4 (3rd) ; California – 3-for-4 (1st, 2nd, 4th) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | YC – Lindenwood (Head coach Dave Miller, 3:12 left in 2nd Q); YC – Lindenwood (Jame Gambin, 3:39 left in 4th Q); YC/RC – Lindenwood (Head coach Dave Miller, 3:39 left in 4th Q); MD – Lindenwood (Arnau Bayer, 38 seconds left in 4th Q) | |||||
| Officials: | Tony Karaman, Scott Krasinski | |||||
Lindenwood University’s Vuk Budrak (#5)
University of California’s Noah Feingold (#2)
University of California’s Daniel Tang (#23) shoots over Lindenwood University’s Ratimir Babic (#23)
