Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – A conference title and playoff implications were on the line on Saturday night at the Graham Soccer Field as Redlands secured the SCIAC title and the No. 1 seed with a 1-0 win over Whittier in front of a crowd of 523.

Whittier (10-7-1, 8-5-1 SCIAC) was locked as the No. 3 seed in next week's conference tournament despite the outcome of the evening's game. With the loss the Poets will travel to Claremont, Calif., to face Claremont-M-S in the semifinals.

Redlands (12-2-2, 11-1-2 SCIAC) will host Pomona-Pitzer in the other semifinal.

The Bulldogs came out fast and put pressure on the back line of the Poets but the defense held strong and quickly found the pace of the game. The fast start didn't phase the purple and gold who outshot Redlands 6-4 through the first 45 minutes.

Whittier had an opportunity late in the first half but Srdan Jovanovic's shot from eight yards out was saved by Andreas Silva.

Silva finished with six saves in the win.

It only took Jovanovic 22 seconds into the start of the second half before he tested Silva again. The sophomore forward fired a shot at the freshman keeper from the top corner of the box but was denied what could have been the go-ahead goal.

At 59:37 the Bulldogs finally broke the scoreless tie as Alex Laughton was able to slip the ball past the Whittier defense and into the back of the net for the eventual game winner. Jamie Griffin had the ball at his feet but was challenge by a pair of Poet defenders. The clear attempt went just outside the box where Laughton stood uncontested.

Whittier had an attempt to find the equalizer in the 77th minute but Silva sprawled out horizontally to stop Patricio Carregha's shot from the top of the box.

For the game the Poets outshot Redlands 18-12 but it was the Bulldogs who had a 6-4 advantage in corners.