Athletics Roundup: Football's Lawrence Sets Career Mark; Volleyball, Soccer, Cross Country, Swim/Dive

Redshirt senior quarterback Anthony Lawrence became San Diego's all-time leader in career passing yards as he led the University of San Diego Toreros to a dominating 59-35 Pioneer Football League victory against Jacksonville Oct. 27 at USD’s Torero Stadium.

16-yard completion to Michael Bandy with 10:37 to play in the third quarter gave Lawrence 11,106 career passing yards, moving him past Mason Mills' (2010-13) previous mark of 11,104.

The victory kept the Toreros undefeated in the PFL (5-0, 6-2 overall) and extended the Toreros’ PFL winning streak to 26 games and PFL home winning streak to 20 games. Both streaks are the longest in the nation among FCS teams.
 
Lawrence finished the day 22-of-28 for 284 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions to lead USD to a season-high 59 points. He spread the wealth to his teammates with Bandy, Christian Brooks, Emilio Martinez and Michael Armstead each logging a touchdown reception.

Bandy entered Saturday's game leading the nation in receiving yards and led the Toreros in the game with six receptions for 113 yards — eclipsing the 100-yard mark for the sixth time in eight games this year. Bandy now has 1,033 receiving yards this season.

Martinez had a big all-around day, rushing 12 times for 88 yards and three touchdowns and catching four passes for 50 yards and a score. Armstead was equally multi-dimensional as he returned the second half opening kickoff for 100 yards, had another return for 67 yards earlier in the game and finished with 217 all-purpose yards.

Defensively, the Toreros couldn’t stop Jacksonville’s potent run-oriented option offense, which is ranked among the best in the nation. Jacksonville ran for 447 yards (had only 40 yards passing) and amassed 21 of its 26 first downs via the run. Quarterback Calvin Turner Jr. rushed for 202 yards and three touchdowns and caught a 13-yard pass for another score.

Next Game: USD at Drake, Saturday, 11 a.m. (Pacific), Des Moines, Iowa.

Volleyball

The USD women's volleyball team secured two more West Coast Conference victories this past week, both on the road and both against the teams in the Pacific Northwest, Gonzaga and Portland.

USD swept Gonzaga, 25-22, 25-15 and 25-22 on Oct. 25 as the Toreros secured their fifth consecutive win in WCC play this year by sweep. Addie Picha and Roxie Wiblin each had 10 kills and Megan Jacobsen had eight. Anna Newsome and Laura Madill had 21 and 16 assists, respectively, and Kelli Barry had a team-high 18 digs.

The Toreros then played at Portland on Oct. 27 and the match went five sets. USD ultimately triumphed, 25-12, 25-20, 19-25, 20-25, 15-4, in a match that saw four of its players record double-digit kill totals. Wiblin led the way with 13, followed by Picha and Jacobsen with 11 apiece and Katie Lukes had 10. Newsome and Madill had 29 and 20 assists, respectively, and Barry had 28 digs.

Portland's win in the third set snapped USD's consecutive set victories mark at 17. USD's win in five, though, snapped an 0-3 mark this season.

Following these two wins, USD now faces the No. 1 team in the nation and clearly its biggest WCC rival when it travels to Provo, Utah for a match against BYU. The Cougars come in with a 22-0 overall mark and 12-0 in the WCC. USD enters at 13-9 overall, 10-2 in WCC play.

Next Match: USD at No. 1 BYU, Friday, 6 p.m. (Pacific), Provo, Utah.

Men's Soccer

Defender Henry Lander's goal in the 86th minute enabled the USD men's soccer team to edge Pacific, 2-1, in a West Coast Conference game on Oct. 28 at Torero Stadium. The win capped a 1-0-1 week of WCC action. On Oct. 26, the Toreros tied the nation's fourth-ranked team, St. Mary's, 1-1, at Torero Stadium. Prior to the tie, St. Mary's had won all 14 of its games this season and three in WCC action.

Lander's first goal of the season and game-decider came after Pacific had tied the game at 1 in the 73rd minute. USD had gained the initial lead in the 59th minute when Aaron Frey, another defender, scored off a feed pass from Till Stockmann. The goal was Frey's second of the season. Lander's goal was assisted by Miguel Berry and Josiah Benjamin. The win improved USD's record to 6-7-4 overall, 2-1-2 in WCC play.

Against St. Mary's, a scoreless first half extended into the 67th minute when the Gaels scored their lone goal on a penalty kick. But USD's Patric Krall sent in a pass that Berry headed in for his sixth goal of the season at the 85th minute. It was Krall's second assist of the season. Defensively, USD was outshot 11-3, but kept the Gaels in check for the most part. Goalkeeper Matt Wiher made eight saves, matching his career-high total in a game.

Next Game: USD at Loyola Marymount, Sunday, 2 p.m., Los Angeles.

Women's Soccer

The USD women's soccer team was stretched to its fourth overtime game in West Coast Conference play on Oct. 25 before falling 2-1 at home against sixth-ranked Santa Clara. The Toreros rebounded on Oct. 28 with a 1-0 victory against San Francisco on Senior Day.

Summer Mason, one of three seniors on the USD roster, scored the game's lone goal against San Francisco with only five minutes left in regulation. Her sixth goal of the season and 17th point on the year came when she stole the ball from a USF and sprinted 80 yards down the right side past three defenders and her shot went to the left side of the net. Defense was strong on both sides, including USD goalkeeper Amber Michel who finished with three saves.

In the overtime loss to Santa Clara, Milan Moses' goal in the 89th minute tied the game and sent it to overtime. It was Moses’ 13th goal of the season. Santa Clara had scored its initial goal 26 seconds into the start of the game. Santa Clara regained the lead only 11 seconds into the overtime period. Santa Clara outshot USD 14-10 and USD's Michel made seven saves.

Next Game: USD at Pepperdine, Saturday, 1 p.m., Malibu, CA. (regular-season finale)

Women, Men’s Cross Country

Hannah Rasmussen finished 21st overall in a time of 22 minutes, 4 seconds to help the USD women's cross country team to a sixth-place finish in the West Coast Conference Championship meet held at Provo, Utah's East Bay Golf Course on Oct. 27.

Rasmussen, USD's bona fide No. 1 runner all season and just a sophomore, was followed in the 6K race by Natalie North-Cole who was 38th in 22:46, Morgan Conn, 39th in 22:48, Zani Moore, 44th in 22:58 and Cassidy Kuhn, 46th in 23:02.

On the men's side, USD finished in ninth place in the 8K race at East Bay Golf Course. Senior Isaiah Quiambao was the Toreros' top runner, finishing the course in 26:31, which was good for 59th place overall. The other USD runners who factored into the team scoring were Jackson Pearce (60th, 26:38), Patrick Bruce (62nd, 26:47), Ian Converse (67th, 27:05) and Ethan Steiner (68th, 27:14).

Next Meet: Men, Women at NCAA West Regionals, Nov. 9, Women at 11 a.m., Men at noon, Haggin Oaks Golf Course, Sacramento.

Women's Swim and Dive

The USD swimming and diving team captured both days of a WCC Cup meet in which the Toreros hosted Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine in a double dual meet at the Sports Center Pool Oct. 26-27.

On Friday, USD defeated LMU 161-79 and Pepperdine 170-67. On Saturday, USD won 223-71 over LMU and 203-96 against Pepperdine.

Highlights from Day 1 for USD: Finishing first and third in the initial event, the 400 medley relay; Anna Luckenbach won the 1,000 freestyle; Three USD swimmers took the top three spots in both the 50 free and the 400 individual medley events; Alex Hubel won the 200 fly and MK Clancy was first in the 200 free; Danielle Taylor won the 50 free and the 100 free; Grace Potis won the 500 free; USD edged Pepperdine to win the 200 free relay; Diver Isabel Busyn finished second in the one-meter diving event.

Highlights from Day 2 for USD: Eight individual wins as well as wins in both the 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relays; Sam Terranova won the 500 free in 5 minutes, 6.76 seconds; Toreros took the top three spots in the 1,650 free, 50 free and 200 individual medley; Abigail Russell, a freshman, won the 200 breaststroke and Lauren Quincy, another freshman, won the 200 backstroke; Alex Hubel won the 100 butterfly, MK Clancy won the 200 fly and Danielle Taylor won the 200 free. Busyn again finished second in the one-meter diving competition.

Next Meet: USD at the UNLV Invitational, Nov. 29.

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