From LBSU staff reports

Despite a comeback effort including two fourth-quarter goals by Justin Koeppen, the No. 5 Niners couldn’t catch up to the No. 7 Lions of LMU (7-5). The Niners are now 1-2 against LMU this season, with the lone win coming in the fifth-place game at last weekend’s NorCal Tournament in Stockton, Calif.

Long Beach came out to a good start in Saturday’s game, when Jake Kinne scored the first goal of the match with only 1:02 off the clock. Two minutes later they scored again with a shot from Jeff Greenwood to take a 2-0 lead over LMU. The Lions roared back however, scoring two goals of their own to end the first period at a 2-2 tie. LMU outscored the 49ers 3-1 in the second period, including an LMU shot with only :02 seconds left, and the Niners went into halftime down 5-3.

Jordan Koeppen scored the only goal of the third quarter, with 3:52 left on the clock to cut LMU’s lead to 5-4. The Lions came out quick in the fourth period with two goals, but Long Beach’s Justin Koeppen was able to respond with two goals of his own, and the Beach was only down by one with 3:15 left in the game. LMU wouldn’t let the Niners back into the game however, and scored once more to stretch the lead to 8-6. Long Beach wasn’t able to respond in the last two minutes, and LMU took the victory 8-6.  Jordan Koeppen’s two goals were a game-high, and Long Beach was helped with one goal apiece from Kinne, Pavle Filipovic, Koeppen and Greenwood. Derek Weibe-Bailey stepped up with nine goal saves for the 49ers.

LMU has given the 49ers trouble thus far, but Long Beach has at least one rematch to look forward to when they play the Lions at home November 13 at 7:00 p.m. Both squads will compete in the SoCal Tournament, and might meet yet again  Next up for the 49ers is a pair of games Sunday, September 27, in Pomona. First up is Pomona-Pitzer at 10:00 a.m., followed by No. 17 Cal Baptist at 12:00 p.m. PT.