CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Whittier College women's water polo team lost to Occidental College, 7-3, on Friday afternoon in the first round of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships.

The Poets will now face La Verne at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning with the winner of that game playing for fifth place in the conference.

Whittier (8-17) got off to a quick start as Katrina Thoreson scored just 56 seconds into the game to give WC a 1-0 advantage.  Sarah Peel added the second goal of the quarter for the Poets at the 4:28 mark to put the purple and gold up 2-0.

Anahisa Aguirre made 22 saves in the game which includes seven in the first quarter to help the Poets hold a 2-1 first quarter advantage.

Occidental added two goals in the second quarter to hold a 3-2 lead at halftime.

The Poets were held scoreless in the third quarter as the Tigers were able to build 6-2 lead before WC cut the lead to three goals with a goal at the 5:15 mark of the fourth quarter. Oxy tacked on a late insurance goal with 2:18 left en route to the four-goal win.

Arianna Weisenburger finished the game with one goal and one assist. Xenia Castillo drew four ejections and added two steals for Whittier.