Spotlight shines on seniors in final home game

ORANGE, Calif. - The Chapman University men's soccer team is hoping Monday night's 3-0 victory over La Sierra University wasn't the final game of the season. If it was, it turned out to be a fitting ending for a senior class that has led the Panthers' to 12 and 11 wins each of the past two years. Three Chapman seniors scored goals in their final regular season games and the Panthers earned their 17th team shutout in two years as the playoff-hopefuls captured another win at Wilson Field.

Senior F Anthony Keto scored his second goal of the season - the game-winner just 19:54 into the game - to give the Panthers an early 1-0 lead. A persistent Keto followed his own shot as the ball trickled behind La Sierra's GK Michael O'Connor and the senior finished the play with the goal.

Chapman (11-4-2) held onto the one-goal advantage midway through the second half when senior M Jeff Shah pounced on a loose ball in the 66th minute and beat O'Connor one-on-one from the top-right of the goalie box for his third goal of the year. Shah finished the regular season ranked third on the Panthers with nine points.

Finally, with just 7:31 remaining in the contest, Shah assisted yet another senior F Matt Prouty who blistered a shot from 35 yards away into the top-left corner of the goal and just out of the reach of the Golden Eagles' keeper to give the Panthers a 3-0 lead. The goal was Prouty's team-best seventh of the season and he leads the team with 16 points.

Panthers' keepers Tyler Hadzinsky and Jimmy Adranly combined for three saves to earn Chapman its eighth shutout of the season. The Chapman defense - which ranks 26th in Division III in goals-against average - also lowered its team GAA to 0.57 which, without another game, would break the school record of 0.59 set by last year's team.

In total, the Panthers honored nine seniors prior to the game on ‘Senior Night', including Shah and fellow four-year players M Alex Sewitz and D Matt O'Leary.

Chapman's playoff fate will be determined next Monday, Nov. 9 as the NCAA will announce its at-large selections along with the rest of the Division III field of postseason teams.

Box Score: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/msoc/2009-10/stats/lsu-cu.htm