Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – In one of the most physical contests of the season, the Whittier College Women's Soccer team held off the Regals of Cal Lutheran University Wednesday night 2-1 at the Donald E. Graham Soccer Field.
With the win, Whittier (6-2, 3-2 SCIAC) moves into second place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) standings as they snap a two game losing skid, while stunning the Regals (3-4-1. 2-1-1 SCIAC) who have won four of the past five SCIAC Championship Titles (2010-2013).
The last time the Poets earned a win over CLU was back in 2003 during their SCIAC Championship Title run when they won both games 3-1. The head-to head record between the programs is now 3-32 in favor of Cal Lutheran, which dates back to 1998.
"This was huge win for us on so many levels tonight," explained Head Coach Monica Gerardo. "The team earned the win and deserves it, and also helps move us towards the top of the SCIAC standings."
In regards to the home field advantage: "Home field advantage is called that for a reason. We are a possession style team with an extremely organized defense and when we execute on both sides of the ball, we get results."
The Poets struck first in the 15th minute coming on a throw-in from freshman Megan Kawakami (Corona, Calif.) who found Madison Shipherd (Whittier, Calif.) in the box for a header. The shot would wound up being saved by Regal keeper Coral Hasley, which then hit off the crossbar and deflected back into the box, where Lauren Kai (Torrance, Calif.) was standing to put it away for her first goal of the season.
Whittier continued to pound the goal the rest of the half as Shipherd put a shot on, which again was saved by Hasley. Kaela Reisfelt (Beverly Hills, Calif.) also had a look, which also tested Hasley and Ashley Gonzalez (Whittier, Calif.) and Leah Kolek (Diamond Bar, Calif.) had the final looks before the half both being denied by the CLU keeper.
Out of the break, Cal Lutheran was forced to play catch-up outshooting Whittier 8-2. Emily Williams had the first look on a corner kick point blank but Alexi Cruz (Long Beach, Calif.) came up with a huge save that kept the deficit at one. Seconds later, Bianca Deardorff made a great run into the box but Cruz again came up big with another save.
In the 67th minute, Deardorff would get another opportunity in front of the goal but was forced to take the shot with her left, which proved difficult as her shot went high. Once the Poets got the ball in the Regals defensive zone they capitalized, this time from freshman Miranda Yzabal (Whittier, Calif.) who added her second collegiate goal as she sent home a knuckleball that skipped past Hasley that put Whittier in front 2-0.
That second goal proved crucial because CLU would find the back of the net two minutes later that pulled them within one with ten minutes to play. Olivia Leyva would take a free kick near midfield, which would find the head of Kali Youngdahl in the box who moved it over to Deardorff for the header connection.
In the final ten minutes the tempo picked up, but Whittier managed to hold CLU to just one shot from Ryley Settles that went high allowing Whittier to hold on for the one goal victory.
Whittier was outshot on the game 15-9 but held the advantage on corner kicks 5-3. Shipherd led the attack with four shots, with two being on goal, while Cruz collected six saves playing all 90:00 minutes.
Whittier returns to action this Saturday, October 3 as they host Occidental College beginning at 7:00pm.
