Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Soccer team saw their Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) match-up with La Verne suspended 30 minutes Wednesday evening due to lightning but still managed to pull off the 2-0 victory at the Donald E. Graham Soccer Field.
The win snaps a two game losing skid for the Purple & Gold as they improve to 8-4, 5-4 SCIAC, while remaining perfect at home at 7-0.
Prior to the game, the team recognized two professors that made an impact on them in the classroom. These two professors included Chuck Hill (Psychology) and Sara Angevine (Political Science) and they were selected due to their efforts in making the players better student-athletes who are prepared both in and out of the classroom.
Madison Shipherd (Whittier, Calif.) got the scoring started in the 21st minute with an unassisted goal. She drew a foul two yards out on top of the box and later put away the free kick to the top left corner. This marks her third goal in the past two games as she helped give the Poets a 1-0 lead at the half and extends her conference lead in goals with 12.
Shipherd and Aubrey Baran (La Mirada, Calif.) would add another two shots on goal immediately following but both would be saved by Leopard keeper Jasmine Valadez. Kaela Reisfelt (Beverly Hills, Calif.) would get the next opportunity for the Purple & Gold a few minutes later as she would take a corner kick in the box from Leah Kolek (Diamond Bar, Calif.), which she put near post, but it wound up being saved by Julia Gomez who was standing in the right place at the right time.
Out of the half, Whittier continued with the offensive pressure with Shipherd and Sofia Garcia (Bonita, Calif.) testing Valadez early with shots on goal. Shipherd would get another couple good looks on goal soon after with her best opportunity coming in the 77th minute when she took a free kick outside of the box. She bent it bottom right corner trying to get the ball to skip into the goal but Valadez wound up saving it despite the ball popping out of her grasp.
In the 79th minute, play was suspended due to a number of lightning strikes. Play would resume 30 minutes later after a torrential downpour and Whittier continued where they left off but this time with freshman Mikaila Cravalho-Myers (Mililani, HI) who took control putting away a cross in the box from Shipherd in the 79th minute, her first of her collegiate career that gave WC some cushion.
Shipherd would end up getting off one final shot soon after as time wound down but was turned away again from Valadez but it wouldn't matter as Whittier would hold for the 2-0 victory.
Alexi Cruz (Long Beach, Calif.) faced just three shots on the evening turning away all three of them posting her fifth shutout on the season.
Whittier outshot La Verne 17-4 and held a huge advantage on corner kicks 8-1. Shipherd led the onslaught with eight shots with four being on goal, while Reisfelt finished with four.
Whittier returns to the pitch this Saturday, October 17 as they remain at home for a big match-up against Chapman University looking to avenge their earlier loss to the Panthers. Game time is set for 7:00pm.
