Box Score Photo by: Staci Williams
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Whittier College women's soccer team despite being nearly deadlock in almost every statistical category was unable to pull out the win as they fell 5-0 to the Tigers of Occidental College.
Occidental now runs their record to 3-5, 3-2 SCIAC, while the Poets are still seeking their first win of the season.
At the beginning of the game the Poets struck first as Kirsten Davis tried to bend a corner kick to the far back post but missed wide. The Poets continued to play aggressively as Allison Calabrese took another shot in the 7th minute that forced Occidental goalkeeper Megan Leslie to make a diving save.
A few minutes later Corinne Cleveland came down the field and took a shot herself that was saved. Immediately following, the Tigers came down the field and Stephanie Bergstrom fouled a player in the box allowing Occidental to have their first look to get on the scoreboard in the looks of a penalty kick.
Elissa Minamishin took the shot for the Tigers but Poet goalkeeper Shanna Falch made a diving save to turn her away. On the ensuing corner kick though Liz Martin put a cross into the box that was knocked into the upper left part of the goal by Alex Nicholson helping the Tigers get on the scoreboard first.
Eight minutes later Minamishin garnered her first goal of the game that put the Tigers up 2-0.
But the Poets wouldn't give up and not go away as they put four shots on goal in a three minute span that came from Calabrese, Madison Shipherd, Danielle Kwasniowski, and Dana Bergstrom. But they were unable to connect allowing Occidental to enter the half up 2-0.
Starting the second half, Whittier got another four shots off in the first four minutes from Cleveland, Shipherd, and Bergstrom. They also had an early corner kick from Calabrese but was unable to capitalize.
Occidental then came down in the 58th minute to go up 3-0 thanks to a solo shot by Kellee Murayama. Three minutes later the Tigers would tack on another goal to go ahead 4-0.
Late in the half Whittier had another opportunity to get on the scoreboard as Shelly Johiro passed a corner kick into the box for Kwasniowski to head in but she missed high. But that would be as close as the Poets would get as the Tigers added on an extra goal in the final minute to clinch the victory 5-0.
Despite the score, the Poets played very well all game and had numerous opportunities to get on the board but the ball was unable to find the back of the net.
The lady Poets return to the field as they look to knock off the Sagehens of Pomona-Pitzer on Wednesday, October 5th beginning at 7:00pm.
