Box Score RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Whittier College suffered an 8-0 setback to No. 18 Redlands Saturday evening at the Farquhar Fields on the campus of the University of Redlands. The Poets who were playing for the third consecutive game without 2nd Team All-SCIAC performers Shelly Johiro and Breann Yamada due to injuries slipped to 0-6, 0-3 SCIAC, while the Bulldogs improve to 3-2-1, 1-2 SCIAC.
The Poets had the first opportunity to get on the scoreboard as senior Chelsea Irha took a shot on goal that forced the Bulldog goalie to make a diving save. Whittier then had another opportunity as Allison Calabrese sent a corner kick into the box that was kicked away by the Redland defenders.
Redlands got on the scoreboard first at the nine minute mark in the first half by Fionna Connolly who drove a Poet defender one on one from the top of the box and then tapped the ball into the bottom right of the goal. Five minutes later Connolly then connected on her second goal of the game as she found the back of the net with a header that was sent into her off of a corner kick from Kendall Pegan.
Whittier then picked up their aggressive play on both ends of the field and had a couple opportunities to get on the scoreboard as Madison Shipherd sent a ball into the box off of a corner for senior Stephanie Bergstrom to finish with. But her shot was blocked in front of the goal. Whittier then had another corner kick and Shipherd sent it in yet again but it was sent out to midfield by the Bulldog defender.
In the 33rd minute, Blythe Lasher got fed from Sierra Duarte who found Lasher cutting to the goal who then found the back of the net for her first goal of the season. Seven minutes later, Kate Van Vuren then connected for her first goal of the season as she was also fed by Duarte.
This would help the Bulldogs enter halftime with a 4-0 lead.
At the start of the second half, sophomore Danielle Kwasniowski put a shot on goal that forced Sabrina Grandke-Bawa to make a diving save. A minute later, Samantha Rivera beat Falch one on one as she put in her fourth goal of the season to put Redlands 5-0. Then in the 59th minute Shipherd then got off her lone shot of the game that made Grandke-Bawa make a difficult save. Two minutes later, Connelly put in her third goal of the game as Pegan put in a long through ball that allowed Connelly to put in her fifth goal of the season.
After this goal, tempers began to flare and tension grew with the players as four yellow cards were issued to Shipherd, Kristen Arroyo, Bergstrom and Megan Wessel. Then in the final four minutes Redlands put in their eighth and final goal as Rheana Bales cashed in with her first goal of the season.
Despite the loss, junior transfer Shanna Falch wound up having a season high 12 saves.
Whittier returns home to the friendly confines of the Donald E. Graham Soccer Field as they take on the Athena's of Claremont-M-S, Saturday, September 24 beginning at 7:00pm.
