Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
ORANGE, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Soccer team dominated the competition Wednesday evening at the Graham Soccer Field dismissing Chapman University 3-1.
"I thought the team came out and played well from the beginning, stayed composed and played towards their strengths," explained Head Coach Monica Gerardo. "Their first conference game, a tough match-up against a physical opponent in Chapman, but we made a statement early scoring in the first couple of minutes. There are a lot of games ahead of us, progress to be made, and we will get back at it again on Saturday against La Verne."
Whittier (3-1-1, 1-0 SCIAC) controlled every facet of the game in shots (22-14) and corner kicks (8-3).
They got a quick goal in the first three minutes of the game from Kaela Reisfelt (Beverly Hills, Calif.) who was fed by Lauren Kai (Torrance, Calif.) from the far side. This lead would hold until the 16th minute when Chapman found the equalizer. A free kick was put in from outside the box by Emily Holbrook, which she put on frame. Alexi Cruz (Long Beach, Calif.) was stuck in between coming out and staying in but managed to get a hand on the shot for the save but it deflected over her head to a waiting Lara Jacobson who tapped it in.
The game became physical from that point as a combined 29 fouls were called, with 19 coming from Chapman, including two yellow cards and a red.
Whittier continued to control the tempo putting another five shots on goal forcing Chapman goalie Kristin Kleinow to come up with some big saves, but the game remained tied at 1-1 going into the half.
In the second, Whittier held an edge on shots 10-7 and maintained their offensive pressure throughout. It paid off in the 61st minute and capitalized on a key mistake made by Kleinow. She came out to pick up a through ball but couldn't handle it. Kai then took it away in the box and flicked it to a waiting Leila Afrasiyabi (Los Angeles, Calif.) in front of an open goal, but before she could receive it, a Chapman defender attempted to clear it but put it into the back of the net for an own-goal.
The Purple & Gold would add insurance soon after in the 77th minute. Julia Diaz picked up her second yellow card for a high kick to the face of Leah Kolek (Diamond Bar, Calif.). She was dismissed with a red card and CU was forced to play a man down. On the ensuing free kick, Clarissa Field (Whittier, Calif.) would hit the crossbar, which would bounce in front of the goal to a waiting Reisfelt who finished it.
Kai led the offense with six shots, with four being on goal, while Field and Reisfelt each added three a piece.
Cruz picked up her third win on the season and finished with nine saves for the game.
Whittier remains at home this Saturday, September 17 as they face-off against the University of La Verne beginning at 7:00pm.
