Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
Article by: Max Klein
WHITTIER, Calif. - The Whittier College Men's soccer team came into Wednesday night's matchup with the University of La Verne needing a win to keep themselves in contention for the SCIAC Post Season Tournament. With the help of goals from senior midfielders Brian Russell (Torrance, Calif.) and Tyler Crough (Fresno, Calif.), the Poets were able to get the victory, edging the Tigers 2-1.
Head coach Shea Harwell shook things up with the back line, starting senior forward Lucas Depinna (Portland, OR) at centerback and freshman forward Connor Tait-Mole (Livermore, Calif.) at fullback. Both put in solid performances and stood strong, with Depinna winning some big headers and Tait-Mole making key clearances and pushing up the pitch on offense.
The first half was split in terms of possession, but La Verne looked the more dangerous side, getting the ball into good positions and forcing the Whittier defense to make strong tackles.
La Verne's best chance to take the lead in the first half came when sophomore goalkeeper Jorge Rivas (Lake Forest, Calif.) mistimed an attempted punch and a Leopard headed the ball towards the goal. It hit off the crossbar and Rivas recovered well to fall on the ball to ward off any further danger.
Whittier came out strong in the second half, controlling possession and getting the ball into the box and posing questions of the La Verne defense thanks to Russell and Matthew Evans (Bury St. Edmunds, England) who had two good looks on goal.
But it was the Leopards who struck first, crossing a ball into the box from the right side where it fell to a wide open Nathan Gonzalez who put La Verne up with just over 40 minutes remaining.
The Poets responded ten minutes later though with the equalizer, when a ball came into the box from the right side and came to Russell, who found the back of the goal off a volley with his left foot to make it 1-1.
Twenty more minutes went by with the Poets continuing to dominate and barely allowing a La Verne touch in the Whittier half before Russell heaved a throw into the box in the 78th minute where Crough knocked home the go ahead goal.
Whittier looked to add an insurance goal with eight minutes to play with Devin Guthrie (Huntington Beach, Calif.) having a clean look on goal from just inside the box but his shot would hit the crossbar keeping the score at 2-1.
La Verne would get one final opportunity to force overtime getting a corner kick with under a minute play but the ball would be cleared by the Poet defensive unit preserving the victory.
"It was a great throw and I was in the right place at the right time" said Crough. "We didn't play up to expectations in the first half but looked much better in the second".
The win moves the Poets to 7-6-2 overall and 5-6-2 in SCIAC play. They will return to action this coming Saturday, October 25th at 7:00 pm when they travel to play the University of Redlands.
