Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Men's Soccer team saw their senior night spoiled Wednesday evening as the University of La Verne added a golden goal with under a minute to play in the first overtime period to win 1-0 at the Donald E. Graham Soccer Field.
Prior to the game, Head Coach Shea Harwell recognized his four seniors who were taking part in their final home game of their collegiate careers. These seniors included Jorge Rivas (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.), James Suri (Lake Forest, Calif.), Ricardo Pena (Bell Gardens, Calif.), and Max Klein (Brooklyn, NY).
It was a battle for 100 minutes with opportunities occurring on each side. Keepers, Rivas and Josh Ramirez put on a show for the hundreds in attendance as they kept a shutout intact during regulation, while coming up with some amazing saves that wowed the crowd.
Uribe pounced on a bad back pass by Whittier left back to his goalkeeper Rivas. Rivas rushed out to challenge Uribe just outside the penalty box but the two collided and the ball was deflected past Rivas and Uribe chased it down and tapped it into the net to hand the Leopards a thrilling win.
The Poets had a chance to get out to an early lead as they earned a penalty kick in the 16th minute. Suri drilled a low shot to the left post, but La Verne goalkeeper Josh Ramirez guessed perfectly and dove hard to his right to make what turned out to be the game-winning save.
Ramirez came up big again between the posts in the 22nd minute as he turned away big shots from Suri and Sergio Fuentes (Albuquerque, NM) in diving stops that again kept the shutout intact.
The Poets tested Ramirez all night but he was up to the task collecting 10 big saves. The Leopards' Justin Funes had a couple chances in a span of 10 seconds late in regulation. In the 83rd minute, he beat both of Whittier's center halves and launched a shot to the left but had his effort saved by Rivas. Funes collected the rebound and had another look, but Rivas once again made a good save to send the game to overtime.
Nathan Gonzalez had a chance to end it for ULV moments before the golden goal with a shot from 10 yards out but missed high.
Rivas finished with seven saves, with Jacob Conlon (Placentia, Calif.) collecting three shots.
La Verne outshot Whittier 21-18 and held an advantage on corner kicks 8-5.
Whittier wraps up their 2016 season this Saturday, October 29 on the road as they travel to take on Claremont-M-S beginning at 7:00pm.
