(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Top-seeded PLNU Men's Soccer won the PacWest Tournament title for the first time in program history, completing the conference regular season and tournament double with a 4-1 win over third-seeded Hawai'i Hilo.
Point Loma scored twice in each half to lift its second trophy of the year and reach the four-goal mark in a game for the third-straight match.
Inaki Santamarina and
Cole Friesen each found the back of the net twice in the conference tournament championship, with Friesen earning PacWest Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.
Santamarina opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a header after Friesen's back heel found an overlapping
Lisandru Susini to loft a cross into the box for Santamarina to knock home from 10 yards out.
After Hawai'i Hilo's goalkeeper was sent off a minute after PLNU's opening goal, the Sea Lions added a second through Friesen just 90 seconds before halftime.
Curtis Collazos played
Zack Mercieca through with a chipped ball over the defense for Mercieca to square a pass to Friesen to finish first time.
The Vulcans got one back late in the 86th before the Sea Lions responded with two more to seal out the victory.
Mercieca ran onto an errant Hilo back pass before unselfishly feeding Friesen in the 88th minute to score his second. Then just over a minute later, Santamarina won the ball in his own half and dribbled the rest of the way to score an empty-net goal after the Vulcans had sent their entire team forward.
Gael Ruiz was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
Point Loma (15-3-1 overall) earns the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Super Region 4 tournament and will likely host an NCAA postseason match for the second time in program history as a top-four seed. The Sea Lions will find out their NCAA postseason seeding during Monday's selection show at 4 p.m.
PLNU's 15 wins this season is an NCAA-era program record.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW
