Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College men's soccer team got tagged with its fourth loss of the season and it's second on their home turf 1-0 to the University of Redlands.
The Poets put together a strong game and were in control on both ends of the field a majority of the game, but the Bulldogs caught a break three minutes into overtime for a goal that would stand as the game winner.
The loss snaps a two-game win streak held by Whittier, while Redlands wins its second game in a row. Whittier's overall record now stands at 2-4 (2-1 SCIAC), while Redlands moves to 4-3 (2-0 SCIAC).
The Poets entered the game having allowed just one goal in their previous two games and Whittier continued to dominate the possessions for the first 18 minutes of the game before the Bulldogs got deep enough in Whittier territory to earn a corner kick.
The Whittier onslaught of shots on goal in the first half began with junior Srdan Jovanovic who took a shot in the 9th minute but had it barely miss wide. The Poet offensive attack continued as Jonathan Palomino and Adolfo Santos put back to back shots on goal that forced Bulldog goalkeeper Andreas Silva to make two diving stops in the 18th minute.
Whittier then came just a breath away from being the first on the scoreboard in the 32nd minute when senior Sam Russell maneuvered around the Redlands goalie Silva and had a good look at the goal but had his shot blocked.
This was a big game for both squads and you could feel and see the tension and fight from the players, as Jovanovic was tagged with a yellow card in the 22nd minute. Eighteen minutes later Charles Izydorek for Redlands was flagged with a yellow.
In the final seconds of the half, Jovanovic was able to get one of his three shots off for the game but was unable to connect forcing the game into a 0-0 tie entering halftime. Concluding the first half, Whittier outshot Redlands 8-3 and had numerous opportunities to get on the scoreboard, but none were able to find the back of the net.
In the second half, the Poets continued to keep the pressure on, on both ends of the field as junior Kevin Hartsough took a shot that was a rocket in the 57th minute that forced Silva to make a diving save.
Freshman Devin Guthrie then got into the shooting mix as he put a ball on goal in the 62nd minute but had it ricochet off a Bulldog defender.
The best opportunities for the Poets to get on the scoreboard in the second half and maybe in the entire game came in a span of a minute in the 84th minute. There was a ball put into the box by senior Patricio Carregha off of a corner kick and junior Ian Cromwell leaped over a Bulldog defender to put a header on goal but had it miss high right over the crossbar. The Poets then got a second opportunity as Carregha yet again put in a great ball off of a corner kick into the box that Cromwell connected on again but had it miss high. That would be the final opportunity Whittier would get at getting on the scoreboard as time expired in regulation.
Overtime then came in effect as Whittier and Redlands yet again played for the victory in extra time for the third straight season. Three minutes into the extra time, Redlands put a ball on goal that David Diaz went down to grab but with the slippery grass, the ball instead slipped between his legs for Pat Roraff to tap in for the game winner.
For the game, Whittier outshot Redlands 13-8 and controlled the entire game from start to finish. They had numerous scoring opportunities and had great looks on goal but none of them were able to find the back of the net.
Whittier returns to action as they travel to take on the Stags of Claremont-M-S on Saturday, September 24 beginning at 1:00pm.
