Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
Video by: Davis Gerber & Joe Waugh (Whittier College Sports Network)
WHITTIER, Calif. – Junior midfielder Madison Shipherd (Whittier, Calif.) collected her first career hat trick and her sixth goal of the season helping propel the women's soccer team to their first victory of 2013 3-1 over the Tigers of Occidental College.
With the win the Poets snap a twelve game losing skid, while erupting for three goals, which is equal to the total number of goals they have scored this season up to this point. All six goals have come by the foot of Shipherd who is seeking her third straight 1st Team All-SCIAC selection.
"To have back to back quality games including CMS and now Occidental is a testament to the hard work and dedication the girls have shown this season," stated Head Coach Monica Gerardo.
"Tonight the girls stuck to the game plan despite Oxy breaking us down in the first ten minutes of the game. They were able to get some offense early and down the stretch the team came together as a whole and played together to pull off a huge victory."
Occidental opened up the scoring in the 8th minute from Elissa Minamishin who was fed a through ball from Michaela Tsuha, which she placed to the left of Poet keeper Shanna Falch (Doylestown, PA) who collected five saves on the evening.
Whittier however continued getting chances over the next twelve minutes and finally capitalized at the 20:57 mark when Shipherd headed in a corner kick sent in by Courtney Maddux (Huntington Beach, Calif.). But Shipherd wasn't done there as she took a free kick at the top of the box nine minutes later and went top shelf putting the Poets in front for the first time this season.
Shipherd would then find the back of the goal one more time two minutes later getting a through ball from Rosemarie Orlando (San Pedro, Calif.), which she sent to the top left corner of the goal that put the Poets in front 3-1 at the break.
In the second half, Oxy threatened outshooting the Poets 11-0 and had two corner kicks but couldn't capitalize allowing Whittier to escape with the two goal victory.
Shipherd finished the night taking six shots with four being on goal, including her three goals.
Whittier looks to carry this momentum into their next contest as they host Cal Lutheran this Wednesday, October 16 beginning at 7:00pm.
