Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College men's soccer team rebounded after their 1-0 loss to Cal Lutheran blanking the Panthers of Chapman University Monday evening 3-0 to stay in the hunt for their first SCIAC Championship Title.
The Panthers who were seeking a No. 2 seed in the SCIAC Post Season Tournament with a win was unable to stop the Poet offensive attack as they surrendered 18 shots going down 2-0 at the half before giving up a goal in the second half before dropping into 4th Place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings with a 11-6-2, 9-5-1 SCIAC record.
With the win, Whittier now moves into 2nd Place in the SCIAC Standings improving to 11-6-1, 10-4-1 SCIAC and have probably their biggest match-up of the season Saturday evening at 7:00pm against the Stags of Claremont-M-S with a SCIAC Championship Title on the line and a No. 1 seed in the SCIAC Post Season Tournament at stake, but will need the help of a Redlands loss.
Whittier got things started seven minutes into the game. Chapman had a lapse on defense allowing Lucas Depinna (Portland, OR) to get past the last line of defenders getting a through ball from Ian Cromwell (Pleasanton, Calif.), which he carried into the box placing it by Panther keeper Nick Berardi.
Nineteen minutes later they would tally their second goal of the contest from Francis Maxwell (Clydebank, Scotland) who finished a cross from Pablo Gomez (Cardiff by the Sea) that hit off the crossbar and into the box for his 12th goal of the season.
Despite being deadlocked 8-8 on shots in the first half, Chapman saw themselves with a 5-2 advantage on corner kicks, but the poet defensive unit led by freshman goalie Jorge Rivas (Lake Forest, Calif.) were able to keep CU from finding the back of the goal by collecting three of his seven saves on the evening.
In the second half, Whittier picked up their offensive intensity tallying 10 shots along with two corner kicks, while limiting Chapman scoring opportunities. They would add insurance in the 74th minute from Devin Guthrie (Huntington Beach, Calif.) who gathered a cross put in by Alex Mitchell (Bakersfield, Calif.) from the wing, which he carried into the box and past an outstretched Berardi that helped secure the shutout victory.
Out of the Poets 18 shots taken, 11 of them were on goal for a season high .611 shot on goal percentage led by Maxwell who finished with five shots, four being on goal. Guthrie and Depinna each recorded three shots.
Whittier again returns to action this Saturday, November 2 as they host Claremont-M-S on senior night for Rage the Cage beginning at 7:00pm immediately following the women's soccer game that begins at 4:00pm.
