Playoff Match Marks a Milestone for Loyola Soccer

Loyola Marymount will play Cal State Northridge on Saturday in a first-round NCAA men’s soccer playoff match at home.

That fact alone is what Loyola Coach Paul Krumpe considers a significant point in his five-year tenure. The Lions (14-3-2) have come a long way in that time, evolving from a second-division West Coast Conference team into a bona fide top 25 program.

“This was something we talked about at the beginning of the season,� Krumpe said. “We wanted to be high enough [in the ranking] to host a playoff game. It’s a milestone.�

This is the Lions’ second consecutive trip to the postseason. It is the first for Cal State Northridge in Division I.

The Matadors (14-4-2) finished second in the Big West Conference behind UC Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara plays San Diego on Saturday at home.

The Matadors have been improving since Terry Davila, a former player and assistant, returned as head coach four years ago. This season, which has included a school-record 14 wins, has brought many rewards.

Junior Edwin Miranda was named Big West defensive player of the year, senior Joe Barton was the top goalie and Davila was conference coach of the year.

“This is a great reward for our kids,� Davila said. “We’re very excited.�

Krumpe is impressed with what Davila has accomplished at Northridge. The winner of Saturday’s match plays at UCLA on Wednesday.

“Terry has done a great job with that program,� Krumpe said. “There’s so many similarities between our program and theirs. It is no longer a one-team show here in Los Angeles.�

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Redlands received its first NCAA Division III football playoff berth in nine years and third in school history after winning the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletics Conference championship. The Bulldogs (7-2) will play St. John’s University (9-1) on Saturday in Collegeville, Minn. Redlands won the SCIAC by defeating Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, 39-29, last week.

Azusa Pacific did not receive a berth into the 16-team NAIA playoffs despite posting a 9-1 record. The Cougars, who were ranked 14th last week and defeated Gustavus Adolphus, 20-14, saw their playoff bid hurt when tournament teams Montana Western and St. Ambrose (Iowa) upset top-five teams and leaped past them in the final poll.