Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College women's soccer team had a strong first half performance but was unable to hold the Regals of Cal Lutheran University Saturday evening as they fell 3-0 on Senior Day.
Head Coach Monica Gerardo recognized her four seniors who were playing in their final home game of their collegiate career prior to the start of the game and these seniors included Breeann Yamada, Corinne Cleveland, Shannon Bowe, and Emily Lujan.
These seniors got the start in this evening's game and what a game they had as they held Cal Lutheran to one goal that came with a minute remaining in the first half. Whittier was outshot by the Regals in the first half 9-6 but were able to show their offensive presence early getting good looks on goal by Rose Marie Orlando and Madison Shipherd. Whittier had an opportunity to go out in front in the 32nd minute and then the 35th minute but Shipherds and Kirsten Davis' shots were turned away by Regal keeper Kristin Bailey.
Ten minutes later, SCIAC goal leader Taylor Will came down and was fed a ball in the box which she struck from ten yards out that went top shelf past Shanna Falch that put Cal Lutheran up 1-0 going into the half.
Coming out of the break, Cal Lutheran added to their lead in the first minute of play as Lindsay Armenta found the back of the goal getting fed a ball into the box by Mayra Virgen that put Cal Lutheran in front 2-0.
Whittier continued to pressure the ball and maintained their strong defensive stance but still was unable to find the back of the net despite getting four shots off. Early in the game two yellow cards were issued to Allison Calabrese and Orlando but tempers began to flare in the 77th minute when the Regals Dani Granholm was flagged with a Red Card after she knocked over Poet keeper Falch. This forced CLU to play a man down for the remainder of the game but they still managed to add to their lead in the 80th minute when Kristina Hulse capitalized off of a blocked shot from Melissa Abdelkerim.
This put Cal Lutheran up 3-0 with ten minutes to play and after two shots from Maegan Garcia and Davis that were turned away from Bailey, the Regals were able to escape with the victory and their twelfth SCIAC victory.
The Poets wrap up their 2012 schedule on the road as they travel to Claremont-M-S, Wednesday, October 24 beginning at 7:00pm before traveling out to Redlands on Saturday, October 27 to take on the Bulldogs with game time set for 1:00pm.
