LA VERNE, Calif. — Division III No. 10-ranked the University of La Verne overcame a 3-0 deficit to start the game in rallying to defeat Iona University at home in Los Flores Pool.
Trailing 3-0 in the first quarter following man-up tallies by Matthew Mischlich (7:47), Toni Vlasic (4:00) and Samson Williams (3:04), the Leopards broke the ice as Josh Lamberton put away a natural marker at 2:54 to move La Verne within 3-1.
Pavle Musikic (1:30) and Hugh Coyle (54 seconds) sandwiched a score by Lamberton (1:07, penalty shot) to build Iona’s lead to 5-2 prior to Lamberton completing a first quarter hat-trick by depositing his third goal with seven second remaining in the opening eight minutes.
Jordan Baker (7:37) chipped the Gaels’ lead down to 5-4 23 seconds into the second quarter, but Musikic (7:23) and Rastko Jevdjovic (5:53) responded for Iona to inflate the margin to 7-4.
Lamberton (5:45) and Baker (4:41, man-up) got the pair of goals back to inch La Verne within 7-6 before Carter Williamson (4:25, man-up) returned a two-goal lead to Iona at 8-6.
The Leopards, however, sprung into action as Nico Buono (2:59), Baker (2:33) and Lamberton (1:41) turned the tables on Iona by connecting on back-to-back-to-back scoring opportunities to stake La Verne to a 9-8 lead heading into halftime.
Following the break, the Leopards went back to work as Baker (6:44), Timothy Robles (5:46) and Buono (3:46, man-up) built their team’s lead to 12-8 in the first half of the third quarter.
Brett Grady (3:11) closed out the third quarter and Jevdjovic (6:42) opened the fourth quarter with strikes to chip La Verne’s lead down to 12-10 but Lamberton swished even-strength opportunities at 6:28 and 3:48 to widen the gap back to four goals at 14-10.
Mischlich (3:35) and Ryan Tannus (2:48) shrank Iona’s deficit back to a pair at 14-12 prior to Lamberton (2:27, penalty shot) and Jevdjovic (2:16, man-up) trading scores in the final minutes as La Verne garnered a 15-13 victory.
La Verne – which outshot Iona by a 40-31 margin – received a game-high eight goals from Lamberton. Baker contributed four goals and four assists, while Buono (two) and Robles accounted for La Verne’s other three markers. Goalkeeper Henry De Luna earned the win with 11 saves.
Jevdjovic (three), Musikic (two), Mischlich (two), Williamson, Vlasic, Grady, Coyle, Williams and Tannus combined for Iona’s 13 goals in support of goalkeepers Aleksander Slakovic (11 saves, 14 goals allowed, 29:09) and PJ Bartzen (one save, one goal allowed, 2:51).
