(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) No. 14 PLNU Men's Soccer is now three points away from a third straight PacWest championship.
Inaki Santamarina and
Christopher Burgos Lara both scored in the second half, as Point Loma beat Westmont 2-1 on Saturday afternoon to move within a single victory from hoisting the conference trophy once again.
After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, during which
Simon Sagal hit the post and the Sea Lions outshot the Warriors 9-4, PLNU continued to be on the front foot in the second half.
Niko Kaczmarcyzk was brought down in the penalty area before Santamarina stepped up from the spot to score from 12 yards out and break the deadlock.
Burgos Lara, playing in his first game in over a month because of injury, returned in a big way by scoring the eventual game-winner in the 59th minute.
Oz Rocca outmuscled his defender after
Diego Chavez's long ball forward and squared it to Burgos Lara to finish first time into the back of the net.
Westmont got one back in the 79th, but PLNU held firm to pick up its third straight win and second against the Warriors this season.
With the victory, Point Loma (11-3-1 overall, 7-1 PacWest) officially clinched its spot in the PacWest Championships.
PLNU returns home for its final two games of the regular season, with its first chance to clinch the conference title coming on Thursday against Jessup at 2:15 p.m.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW
