ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPLIT
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — California Baptist University proved the third time is the charm in Saturday's triple-header in the final day East Meets West Tournament in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After dropping their first two games of the day, each by a score of 8-7, to No. 15 St. Francis (N.Y.) and No. 12 Air Force, CBU pulled off a barn-burning double-overtime upset of St. Francis (N.Y.) in the nightcap.
The Lancers scored first in the contest, but the Terriers put up three quick goals to take a 3-1 lead. With four seconds left in regulation, senior
Tommy Hunter scored a goal to send the game into overtime tied at 10-10. SFC struck first in the opening overtime period, but
Daniel Tayenaka knotted it at 11. The Terriers scored first against in the second overtime period, but
Aaron Steiger took control for the Lancers. Steiger scored a goal in the second overtime to send the game to sudden death, where the story unfolded the same way, with Steiger scoring a goal. His last goal of the day gave the Lancers their third win of the tournament and the young season.
Steiger recorded five goals in the game and had seven drawn ejections. Hunter posted four of his own goals, while
Eric Carnohan added two goals for the Lancers. Freshman goalie
Austen Ramer added seven more saves to his season tally.
It was just the second time in program history that the Lancers knocked off St. Francis. CBU upended the Terriers in their first meeting back in 2001, but had lost four straight since.
“Austen [Ramer] was stellar in the goal all tournament,” said Head Coach
Rick Rowland. “Aaron was off the stat sheet on both the offensive and defensive sides of the pool.”
In their first game of the day, the Lancers took on No. 15 St. Francis. The Lancers dropped their first game of the year in an 8-7 thriller with the Terriers. St. Francis scored two goals early, but CBU quickly put in a pair of their own, never allowing St. Francis to pull away. St. Francis scored early in the third quarter to draw their lead out to three, 8-5, and over the following 14 minutes, the Lancers were never able to pull closer than 8-7.
Steiger led the attack for the Lancers tallying four goals in the contest. Ramer recorded six saves.
CBU faced off against Air Force in the second game of the day. It was another one-goal game for the Lancers, but not the same result that CBU had pulled off the night before. The Falcons never trailed and climbed out to an 8-4 lead before CBU scored three straight to make it 8-7 and ran out of gas and time for its second straight loss.
Steiger added two goals for the Lancers, as did
Brent Troutman. Ramer posted seven saves.
“We had a very good weekend,” said Rowland. “Our goal was to split with Air Force and St. Francis and we did that.”
Steiger and Ramer were also honored by being selected to the East meets West All-Tournament team.
The Lancers return to action Friday at the Cal Lutheran Tournament.
