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Step Closer to History: Lindenwood Downs Tufts 18-3 to Advance to 2008 Division III Club Title Game
VILLANOVA, Pa. -- Marko Cubrobinic (Fr., Belgrade, Serbia), Kevin Gallus (Fr., St. Louis, Mo.), Justin Bowers (So., Grand Rapids, Mich.) and Marlow Inman (Fr., Cairo, Egypt) each recorded a hat-trick, while Aaron Saule (Jr., Overland Park, Kans.) made 10 saves between the pipes to lead No. 8 nationally ranked Lindenwood University to an 18-3 win over Tufts University in the semifinals of the 2008 Division III Collegiate Club Tournament at Villanova University.
The win places Lindenwood in its third straight Division III title game as the Lions captured the 2006 and 2007 championships. In the history of the championship, no team has won three consecutive titles as Lindenwood's reign began in 2006 at Wesleyan University by snapping the host Cardinals two-year winning streak (2004 and 2005) via an 8-6 victory. In addition, Lindenwood can become the leader in Division III titles surpassing Wesleyan (2005 and 2006) and Rochester Institute of Technology (2000 and 2002).
The final score is not a good indication of how the game began as the Lions jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead on a marker by Austin Walsh (So., St. Louis, Mo.) 1:33 into the contest, but the Jumbos answered thirty seconds later with an advantage score by Benji Koltai (Fr., Beverly Hills, Calif.) to knot the game at 1-1 with 4:57 left in the first period.
However, the Lions began to pull away 36 seconds after Koltai's goal as Walsh punched in an exclusion score at the 4:21 mark and Cubrobinic flipped in an even strength score with a second left in the period to go into the second period wtih a 3-1 lead.
The margin expanded to 6-2 by halftime and 11-2 by the end of the third period before Lindenwood added seven goals in the fourth to Tufts' one for the 18-3 final.
Lindenwood will meet either the United States Coast Guard Academy or New York University for the title at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, November 2. The title game will be the third in the history of the Lindenwood program, while NYU could make its third title game appearance and Coast Guard would make its first championship tilt appearance in program history.
Tufts, which fell to 11-2 on the season, will next be in action at 10:15 a.m. on November 2 versus the loser of the NYU-Coast Guard semifinal in the third place game as the Jumbos have a chance to finish third for the third straight season after accomplishing the feat in 2006 and 2007.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
| Tufts | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Lindenwood | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 18 |
Lindenwood Goals: Justin Bowers (3); Marko Cubrobinic (3); Kevin Gallus (3); Marlow Inman (3); Austin Walsh (2); Ali Campbell (2); Sharn Appel (2);
Tufts Goals: Benji Koltai (2); Peter Georgakakos
Saves: Lindenwood - Aaron Saule (10); Tufts - James Longhurst (5), Matt Burke (1)
Ejections: Lindenwood - 8; Tufts - 12
