Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – Thomas Barber had a goal and an assist, Taylor Ayres pushed his scoreless streak to over 360 minutes and the Whittier College men's soccer team extended its SCIAC regular-season unbeaten streak to 14 games with a 3-0 win over La Verne on Wednesday evening at the Graham Soccer Field.

Sam Russell sparked the scoring for the Poets as he found Jorge Figueroa in the 21st minute. Figueroa went to the far post from the top of the box to give the Poets a 1-0 lead with his first goal of the season.

Barber beat ULV goalie Jonathyn Lomeli to the near post to give the Poets a 2-0 advantage at the 53:46 mark and was at it again in the 75th minute as he found the head of sophomore Srdan Jovanovic to put the purple and gold ahead 3-0. The goal was the team-leading third of the season for the 2009 second-team All-SCIAC honoree.

Barber finished the evening with a game-high three points.

Lomeli made eight saves in the loss while his counterpart, Ayres, needed to make only one save in the 86:44 he logged in net.

Ayres was relieved by Peter Van Lier who was put to the test quickly after entering the game. La Verne got off a good look that Van Lier pushed aside. The rebound trickled towards the far post but Van Lier laid his 6-5 frame horizontally to stop the second attempt. ULV got off one more shot but it was blocked by a defender before reaching the keeper.

Both teams were aggressive on the offensive end having been whistled for offside five times apiece.

The Poets totaled 23 shots with 12 going on goal while La Verne managed just 14 with three on frame. Adolfo Santos led the team with four shots, Jonathan Palomino added three of his own and six players got off two shots for the Poets.

Patricio Carregha entered the game in the 72nd minute but nearly gave Whittier its fourth score of the evening at the 79:57 mark. Carregha beat Lomeli but his shot was turned aside by the Leopard defense a mere feet from crossing the goal line.

The Poets return to action on Saturday, September 25, as they play host to Caltech at 7 pm.