Photo by: Denis Concordel/Widgic.com
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Chapman University scored 1:19 into the sudden victory overtime period as it beat the Poets, 13-12, on the final day of the WWPA Championships Tournament in the ninth place game.
Whittier (13-21) was led by the duo of Erick Gonzalez and Rilesh Desai who scored four goals apiece and combined for three assists.
Desai scored two of Whittier's first quarter goals and helped the purple and gold hold a 5-3 halftime lead.
The high scoring second half saw the Panthers score three goals in each the third, fourth and first overtime period.
Gonzalez scored to open the second half and pushed the Poets' lead to 6-3 but Chapman ended the quarter on a 3-1 run to trail 7-6 headed in the final frame of regulation.
The WWPA Newcomer of the Year, Gonzalez, once again opened a quarter with a score as he gave WC an 8-6 lead with 7:40 left in the fourth stanza. Chapman answered the Gonzalez scoring strike with back-to-back goals at 5:33 and 4:09 to even the score at 8-8.
Will Jackson gave the Poets a one goal advantage with just over 90 seconds left in the fourth but Chapman sent the game to extra time with the final goal of regulation at the 19 second mark.
The Panthers outscored Whittier 3-2 in the first three-minute extra session with goals at 2:39, 2:12 and 39 seconds. The Poets got goals from Gonzalez at 2:23 and Lincoln Haley at 55 seconds.
Down one, the Poets needed to find the equalizer in the second overtime and did on a Desai scoring strike with 46 seconds left.
Whittier ended its 2010 WWPA Tournament with an 0-3 record.
