Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
Article by: Max Klein
WHITTIER, Calif. - In what proved to be a highly contested contest between two evenly matched teams Wednesday evening, the Whittier College men's soccer team was given their first loss of the season at the hands of the Chapman University Panthers 3-2 in double overtime.
The Poets got off the blocks quickly, with senior midfielder Devin Guthrie (Huntington Beach, Calif.) getting on the end of a cross swung in from the right side by freshman Connor Tait-Mole (Livermore, Calif.) to put Whittier up within the first minute.
The next 20 minutes were largely dominated by Chapman, creating chances and holding possession. Sophomore keeper Jorge Rivas (Lake Forest, Calif.) was called into action early, making a superb save in the 13th minute.
Chapman were lead on the attack by Marco Saglimbeni, who made bombing runs down the left side of the pitch and caused headaches for the Poet backline.
Rivas was again asked to keep the Poets in front with another great save in the 23rd minute. The rest of the first half saw the Poets start to gain more possessions as the game started to even out.
The second half started out just as the first half had ended. Each team enjoyed bits of possession during the first 20 minutes and created chances for themselves.
The opening score of the half came from sophomore Ryan Godinez, who managed to put one past Rivas to even the score in the 65th minute.
The game looked like it would go into extra time but Saglimbeni would then add the go ahead goal for the Panthers who put the ball in the back of the net after a cross from Josh Hale in the 82nd minute.
The Poets looked to find an equalizer in the final minutes. They were able to find one as senior Alex Mitchell (Bakersfield, Calif.) lofted a throw in into the box where it fell to junior Denzel Hartshorn (Grand Junction, CO) who finished an absolutely stunning bicycle kick that forced the game into extra time.
The Poets started off the first overtime period hot, making Panthers goalkeeper Sean Augustine make two exceptional saves to keep the game knotted up at two. The first coming from Brian Russell in the 100th minute and then the biggest one coming two minutes later when Tait-Mole dribbled through two defenders and had the best look on goal all game, which he sent right at Augustine.
In the second overtime period, Chapman looked more dangerous, making senior Matt Evans (Bury St. Edmunds, England) make a sensational tackle in the box in order to prevent a goal.
But in the 113th minute Chapman struck finishing off the game with another goal from Saglimbeni. After a corner had been played in, he drifted in behind the Poet defense and was given a perfect cross from Cole Peters and headed the ball in just beyond an outstretched Rivas.
The Purple and Gold will look to return to their winning ways when they travel to play Cal Lutheran University next Wednesday, September 17th at 7:00pm.
