Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
LA VERNE, Calif. – The Whittier College women's soccer team won their first game of the season and their first in SCIAC play as they defeated the Leopards of the University of La Verne 1-0.
All season the women' soccer team has been searching for that first win and on a clear night, the stars were aligned as a strong defensive effort by the Poets powered them by La Verne.
The previous time these two teams met, Whittier fell 2-0, but this time around the Poets were poised to get revenge.
Sophomore Ashlin Steele scored the lone goal of the evening in the 61st minute off of a goalie deflection that gave the Poets a 1-0 lead and a lead they would not let slip away.
The goal was struck good enough to give junior goalie transfer Shanna Falch her first win of the season. Falch had four shots come her away and turned away all four to preserve the win.
At the start of the game, Coach Gerardo wanted her team to play more aggressively and not be hesitant and it paid off as the Poets took 19 shots with 11 of them being on goal. Freshman Madison Shipherd led the Poet attack as she took seven shots for the game with five being on goal.
Senior Stephanie Bergstrom also helped the Poet offensive attack as she also got off four shots with one being on goal.
Despite going into the half tied at 0-0, the Poets were playing well and had their chances. It would only be a matter of time when they would connect.
Coming out of the half, their aggressive style of play continued as they got another eight shots off, but the big difference was in corner kicks as Whittier turned the tables and outshot the Leopards 3-1 with Steele capitalizing on a deflection off of Leopard goalkeeper Delanie Pacheco.
La Verne tried to pick up the intensity and offense in the second half but the Poet defense stepped up and made it difficult for the Leopards to get any good looks on goal allowing the Purple and Gold to come away with the 1-0 victory.
Whittier returns to the field as they host Pomona-Pitzer, Monday, October 10 beginning at 7pm. This game was originally scheduled for Wednesday evening but due to inclement weather it got moved to Monday.
