 |  |
No. 19 Lindenwood Hooks No. 11 Texas 7-5 in National Collegiate Club Fifth Place Game
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Goalie Aaron Saule (Sr., Olathe, Kansas) made seven saves to lead No. 19 Lindenwood to a 7-5 victory over No. 11 Texas in the fifth place game of the 2009 Men's National Collegiate Club Championship .
The Lions used a two goal outburst in the fourth period to take the win as Marwan Imam (So., Cairo, Egypt) lobbed a shot over the head of a charging Longhorns' goalie Hunter Henderson (Sr., Dallas, Texas) at the 3:39 mark for the eventual game-winner before Alasdair Campbell (Jr., Dunfermine, Scotland) tacked on a man-up goalie with 1:12 to go for insurance.
Playing in their first-ever National Collegiate Club Championship after capturing the previous three seasons Division III National Collegiate Club Championships (2006, 2007, 2008), Lindenwood used a balancing attack and timely saves by Saule to knock off Texas and stake its claim as one of the nation's best teams.
The game started and ended with Lindenwood goals as Mike Willar (Fr., Cape Town, South Africa) broke the ice for the Black & Gold 61 seconds into the first period with an outside blast that drew nothing by net with 5:59 left in the frame.
Texas answered at 3:18 with a shot from two-meters by John Littlepage (Gr., Trinidad) to even the game at 1-1 by the end of the period before the Longhorns claimed their first lead of the game following a rocket by Littlepage with 3:22 remaining in the second period.
Lindenwood countered with a marker by Imam five seconds later to knot the game at 2-2, but an illegal entry by Ricardo Rivera (So., Chicago, Ill.) with 1:14 to go in the half put too many men in the water and allowed Texas to regain the lead. Jackon Gould (Fr., Houston, Texas) ripped the ensuing five-meter penalty shot past Saule and cross the goal-line for a 3-2 Longhorns' lead at the break.
The penalty and ensuing tally by Gould rattled the Lions' cages as Marco Tschlenok (Fr., Berlin, Germany) pulled Lindenwood even with 6:14 left in the third, but Texas regained the lead 13 seconds later when Gould buried a marker at the 6:01 mark for a 4-3 margin.
Lindenwood's deficit increased to two goals with 4:44 to go in the period as Rudolfo Campinas (Fr., Sao Paolo, Brazil) was called for a five-meter penalty which Gould converted on to make it 5-3.
However, the Lions roared back as Drew Ruggerio (Jr., Palatine, Ill.) scored at even-strength (3:23) and Tschlenok tacked on a man-up goal at 2:10 to set the score at 5-5 entering the fourth period.
Neither team could solve the others defense until the 3:39 mark when Imam lobbed his shot over Henderson and Campbell added his man-up insurance tally for the 7-5 final.
In cage, Henderson finished with seven saves for the Longhorns as Texas equaled its best ever finish at the National Collegiate Club Championship after previously placing seventh (2007), sixth (2005), 11th (2004) and 13th (2003) in four prior trips.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | -- | Final | |
| No. 19 Lindenwood University | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -- | 7 |
| No. 11 University of Texas | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | -- | 5 |
Texas Goals: Jackson Gould (3); John Littlepage (2)
Lindenwood Goals: Marwan Imam (2); Marco Tschlenok (2); Mike Willar; Ali Campbell; Drew Ruggerio
Saves: Texas - Hunter Henderson (7) ; Lindenwood - Aaron Saule (7)
Exclusions: Texas - 7 ; Lindenwood - 8
Advantage Opportunities: Texas - X-for-8 ; Lindenwood - X-for-7
Sprints: Texas - -for-4 ; Lindenwood - for-4
