CLAREMONT, Calif. — Mount St. Mary’s University completed a trip to the Gary Troyer Tournament in California by taking setbacks versus Division III No. 6-ranked California Lutheran University, 13-12, and No. 13 California Baptist University, 20-11, on the campuses of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges and Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, respectively. The losses drop the Mountaineers’ season record to 6-16..
Against Cal Lutheran, the Mountaineers played out to an early 3-2 first quarter win thanks to two goals from William Matthews and a penalty score from Alexandros Belesis. A pair of Chrysostomos Valavanis goals from the hole-set sent the Mount and the Kingsmen into halftime tied at five-all, with Cal Lutheran scoring three in the second quarter on the Mountaineers’ defense.
Valavanis completed a hat trick to start the third quarter, scoring another goal while holding off defenders in the center. Ioannis Skliras converted a one-on-one on the wing, while Aaron Tarr and Matthews kept the Mount in the game to trail by a pair at 11-9. The Mount outscored Cal Lutheran in the fourth by a score of 3-2, but the Kingsmen defense held out to secure the win in the end.
Matthews led the Mountaineers’ offense with four goals off seven shots with four completed steals and two field blocks. Valavanis notched a hat trick off five shots with four drawn exclusions. Skliras deposited a pair, while Tarr managed a goal while providing five assists and two steals. Belesis and Nikolaos Agritelis also scored once.
Sherif Hosni made 10 saves in goal for the Mountaineers.
Against California Baptist in the Mountaineers’ weekend finale, Mount St. Mary’s fell behind 7-1 by the conclusion of the first quarter. Nate Valentine netted the Mount’s lone goal in the opening eight minutes as he came off the bench to punch in a shot from hole-set before the elapse of the clock.
Belesis started the second quarter with a goal from beyond the five-meter mark. Valavanis and Matthews combined for back-to-back goals, while Valentine scored his second against the Lancers off a no-look pass from Tarr as the teams headed into halftime with Cal Baptist in front by a 12-5 count.
Tarr started the scoring for the Mount in the third quarter with a breakaway down the right-wing, slotting the ball between the goalkeeper and the near post. Belesis proceeded to net three unanswered, scoring from a passing sequence, a two on one and a penalty. Valavanis scored his final of the day in the fourth quarter off a high pass from Skliras. Belesis posted his fifth against the Lancers, working the goalkeeper with a pump-fake from beyond the five-meter mark.
Belesis led the Mountaineers’ offense against Cal Baptist by notching five goals from ten shots with a steal and an exclusion drawn. Tarr recorded a goal while providing three assists, completing two steals, and blocking a shot. Valavanis and Valentine recorded two goals a piece to accompany a solo tally by Matthews in support of an eight save performance by Hosni.
Information courtesy Mount St. Mary’s University Athletics Communications
