Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
CLAREMONT, Calif. – Fifth year senior Madison Shipherd (Whittier, Calif.) added two more goals to her Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) lead but it wouldn't be enough as the Whittier College Women's Soccer team would fall 3-2 to Pomona-Pitzer.
This is the Poets second straight loss as they drop to 1-4 on the road but look forward to a three game home stand with La Verne (Oct. 14 @ 7:00pm), Chapman (Oct. 17 @ 7:00pm), and Redlands (Oct. 21 @ 7:00pm).
Whittier (7-4, 4-4 SCIAC) had an opportunity to take over first place in the SCIAC standings by themselves Saturday but couldn't overcome a 3-0 deficit despite Shipherd adding two goals within the final ten minutes.
Alyssa Kim opened the scoring in the 27th minute following a series of passes from Danika Bethune and Natalie Barbaresi. Kim's point-blank shot quickly found the net, and the 1-0 lead held through halftime.
In the second half, Pomona-Pitzer would add two more that stretched their lead. Katie Tao would put a strike on goal from 25 yards out in the 77th minute that hit the upper right corner and a minute later, Peri Cuppens booted home an assist from Kim to give the Sagehens a 3-0 lead.
But on the Poets next possession, Shipherd would strike back putting away a free kick from outside the box that cut the deficit to two. But she she wasn't done there as she would come back down in the 85th minute and add her second of the game coming on an assist from Miranda Yzabal (Whittier, Calif.).
Whittier would push in the final five minutes looking for the equalizer with Kaela Reisfelt (Beverly Hills, Calif.) taking one final shot for the Purple & Gold with under two minutes to play but it would be corralled by Sagehen keeper Corey Goelz which secured the win.
Shots remained close with Whittier taking 11 and Pomona-Pitzer finishing with 13, the Poets had four corner kicks with three coming in the second half, while PP would tally three.
Shipherd finished with six shots with four being on goal, while Reisfelt took three. In goal Alexi Cruz (Long Beach, Calif.) finished with four saves against seven shots.
Whittier begins their home stand with a match-up against La Verne this Wednesday, October 14 beginning at 7:00pm.
