(Walnut, CA) The Mounties continued their best start in years with another goal outburst in the 49th Annual Mt. SAC Invite with three wins and 74 goals scored.
In the four games, Mt. SAC defeated Sierra, 19-7, Palomar, 20-9, and Crafton Hills, 22-6, while they lost a close game to West Valley, 18-13.
With the three wins, the Mounties improved to 10-3 overall, their best start since the 2019 season with the same record in the first 13 games.
Leading the way is the states' No. 1 goal scorer, Alex Lopez, with 24 goals in the four games. The freshman utility, who leads the state by a wide margin with 82 goals, scored 23 in the four games, along with a team-leading 14 steals. He also leads the state in steals with 47.
Sophomore Brandon Fabrega scored 14 goals and had 13 steals, while Edward (EJ) Lynch had eight goals and freshman Aidan Gillooly added six goals and had four steals.
Jude Solis scored three goals and had seven steals.
Mt. SAC sophomore goalie Austin Johnson started and played the entire game of three in the four games and made 30 saves.
The Mounties opened the tournament on Friday with the 19-7 win over Sierra with a big first-half outburst, scoring 10 goals in the first half for a 10-3 lead and never looked back.
Alex Lopez led the charge with eight goals.
In game two on Friday, Mt. SAC had another one-sided win, 20-9, with a second fast start with a 12-4 halftime lead over Palomar and cruised to an easy win. Alex Lopez again led with nine goals.
The Mounties played two more games on Saturday, winning the first over Crafton Hills, 22-6, and losing a close, 18-13 game over West Valley, 18-13.
Another double-figure first half lead, 15-3, gave the Mounties all the momentum they needed with the easy win against Crafton Hills.
Seventeen players got in the scoring column, with three players - EJ Lynch, Ethan Brown and Gillooly - scoring three goals each.
The fourth and final game was a tough contest against West Valley, the 3C2A State runner-up last season.
The Mounties had a first half lead, 11-7, but a big third quarter 7-1 goal explosion by the Wolverines set Mt. SAC back, 14-12, entering the final quarter.
West Valley took a 3-goal lead, 15-12, with 4:53 left in the game, but Fabrega answered 20 seconds later with a goal, trailing by three again, 15-13.
The Wolverines scored two straight goals for a four-goal, 17-13 lead with 1:24 remaining. With a man advantage, West Valley put the game away with a goal with 22 seconds remaining, 18-13.
Alex Lopez and Fabrega led the Mounties with four goals each.
They begin their South Coast Conference schedule Wednesday (Sept. 20) as they host Chaffey.
Mt. SAC goal scorers:
Mt. SAC 19, Sierra 7
A.Lopez (8), B.Fabrega (6), M.McMillan (2), M.Robles, J.Solis, A.Gillooly
Mt. SAC 20, Palomar 9
A.Lopez (9), B.Fabrega (4), E.Lynch (3), M.Robles, A.Gillooly, M.McMillan, A.de Gaetano
Mt. SAC 22, Crafton Hills 6
E.Lynch (3), E.Brown (3), A.Gillooly (3), J.Solis (2), A.Lopez (2), N.Plunkett (2), J.Samaan, M.Leeworthy, M.Robles, N.Pianalto, M.McMillan, N.Barcelo, A.de Gaetano
West Valley 18, Mt. SAC 13
A.Lopez (4), B.Fabrega (4), E.Lynch (2), G.Roby-Unkovich, A.Gillooly, M.McMillan
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.
