Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

CLAREMONT, Calif. – After a decisive 5-1 victory over Caltech last week the Whittier College men's soccer team made a valiant comeback Wednesday evening as they fell 3-2 to the Sagehens of Pomona-Pitzer.

With the loss the Poets drop to 4-2-1, 2-2-1 SCIAC, while Pomona-Pitzer earns their fourth straight victory and improve to 6-1-1, 4-0-1 SCIAC. 

The Sagehens led 2-0 at the half before Whittier struck in the first five minutes of the second from Dylan Fortin (San Diego, Calif.) who put away a one touch from 12 yards out coming on a cross from Moncef Bouzar (Salinas, Calif.). 

With 3:55 left however, Sagehen Arash Mahboubi was fouled in the box, and Felipe Galvis stepped up and drilled a penalty kick perfectly into the upper corner, out of the reach of Whittier goalie Jorge Rivas (Lake Forest, Calif.) to make the score 3-1.

That goal would turn out to be crucial, as Whittier scored with just 25 seconds left on the clock as Pablo Gomez (Cardiff by the Sea) won a loose ball 30 yards from the goal and blasted a dipping ball into the upper-left corner. The Sagehens, though, booted the ensuing kickoff down the sideline, and Whittier was unable to get the ball back into the offensive end as the clock ran out.

Rivas faced eight shots in goal saving five, while Lucas Depinna (Portland, Ore.) took four shots with one being on goal to lead the offense.

Both teams took 15 shots apiece for the game, with Pomona-Pitzer holding the advantage on corner kicks 4-3. 

Whittier returns home this Saturday, September 27 for a big match-up against the Stags of Claremont-M-S beginning at 4:00pm.