Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Whittier College men's soccer team was unable to complete their comeback against the Sagehens of Pomona-Pitzer Wednesday evening dropping a double overtime thriller 2-1.
Whittier has now dropped their second straight SCIAC match-up and now drop to .500 on the season in SCIAC play at 6-6.
Pomona-Pitzer is now back in first in the SCIAC standings at 9-2-1, while at the same time stretching their win streak to seven games.
In what proved to be one of the most entertaining games of the season, the Poets were unable to finish their comeback as they saw a diving header made from eight yards out from the Sagehens Ryan Miller that went off of the left post and in, after a cross from Nathan Shekita in the 7th minute during the second overtime session.
Miller also assisted Pomona-Pitzer's first goal in the first half when his shot was saved by Whittier Goalie David Diaz, and Robbie Hull tapped in the rebound.
Whittier however continued to fight and earned 10 shots compared to Pomona's seven in the second half and in the 69th minute one of those shots fell as Lucas Depinna found the equalizer as he one touched a ball put in by Francis Maxwell, from 15 yards out that wound up past an outstretched goalie Rollie Thayer.
In the overtime periods, Pomona-Pitzer held the advantage in shots at 5-2. In the first period each team got off one shot, with Whittier's Joshua Dredge having a good look on goal but his header was saved by Thayer. In the second, Whittier struck first from Srdan Jovanovic nine seconds in but his shot sailed wide keeping the score all knotted up. Seven minutes later Miller found the game winner helping to propel the Sagehens to a split with Whittier during the regular season.
The Poets were led by Maxwell who took five shots with two being on goal, while Diaz finished with eight saves.
Whittier wraps up their three game road trip this Saturday, October 20 as they travel to Thousand Oaks, Calif. to take on the Kingsmen of Whittier College beginning at 7:00pm.
