Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
LA VERNE, Calif. – The Whittier College Men's Soccer team for the third straight game was shutout as they fell 3-0 on the road to the University of La Verne.
Over the past three games the Poets have been outscored 9-0 as they drop to 2-6, 1-5 SCIAC.
ULV scored the opening goal in the 17th minute. Nathan Gonzalez made an overlapping play with Saul Uribe and buried his first attempt for the evening. Uribe got the ball from Javier Jasso who played a through ball to Gonzalez, who beat Poet keeper Jorge Rivas (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.).
Freshman Jason Henderson (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) looked to add the equalizer late in the first half taking shots at the 41:17 and 43:05 marks but were turned away both times that kept the score at 1-0 in favor of ULV.
Justin Funes added insurance shortly after the start of the second half. A corner kick leaked out to Ferdinad Estrada on the right side and the La Verne right back found Funes near post who then slotted it into the net.
The Poets then began playing with a sense of urgency, forcing a tough save from Josh Ramirez and just missing on a header from Connor Tait-Mole (Livermore, Calif.). La Verne then countered in the 72nd minute picking up a free kick just outside the box, which opened the door for Uribe's first goal of the night.
The free kick was off to the right. Estrada stood on the ball with Uribe. Estrada peeled off and Uribe curled the ensuing shot past the wall dipping it hard to the bottom right corner of the goal. This would be the final strike for the Leos as they would come away with the home victory and their sixth of the season.
Rivas finished with seven saves for the game, while Tait-Mole, Noah Gibson (Santa Fe, NM), and Henderson each had two shots to lead the offense.
Whittier returns to action tomorrow, Monday, September 26 as they host Occidental College beginning at 7:00pm.
