Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

LA VERNE, Calif. – November 2, 2005, was the last time the Whittier College women's soccer team earned a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win but all that changed as the Poets defeated La Verne, 2-0, on Wednesday afternoon.

Senior Andrea Smith provided the game winner in the 73rd minute and sophomore Breeann Yamada added the insurance just 46 seconds later as the purple and gold won its first conference road game since 2003.

Anna Edwards started the Smith scoring strike with a back pass from the corner to Lauren Velasquez. The freshman played her first touch into the box where the ball found the feet of Smith. The goal official came at 72:50.

The Poets (3-2-1, 1-2 SCIAC) quickly went back on the offense after the restart and Yamada's cross from the sideline deflected off the La Verne defender and into the net. The second goal was clocked at 73:36.

Despite being outshot 20-9 for the game the backline of the Whittier defense limited the clean looks the Leopards (0-5, 0-3 SCIAC) had in the second half. ULV had 11 shots in the second 45 minutes but only put three on target.

"The second half was the best 45 minutes we've played all season," said fourth year head coach Nicole Gervais.

Megan Wessel continued her solid play in net making nine saves to preserve the shutout. She was tested six times in the first half and came up with a stop on each attempt.

The Poets were led in the shot department by Edwards who had three. Smith had two shots while Yamada, Danielle Kwasniowski, Emma Krieger and Stephanie Bergstrom all had one.

The last time the Poets won a conference game was a 2-0 win over La Verne at the Graham Soccer Field. The last road conference win was a 2-1 decision over La Verne.

Whittier will return to action on Saturday, September 25, as it travels to Orange, Calif., to face Chapman at 11 am.