Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Men's Soccer team blanks the Bruins of George Fox University Sunday morning at the Donald E. Graham Soccer Field 3-0 to move to 1-1 on the season.
"I'm proud of the teams work rate today," explained Head Coach Shea Harwell. "It's only our second game together and as a young team we have a lot to prove. Every time we're on the field we try to be one day better than we were yesterday. We have a lot of potential and a lot of growing still to do. I'm excited for this group and today was a good result."
The Purple & Gold wearing their away blacks wasted little time finding the back of the goal adding the eventual game winner five minutes in off the foot of James Suri (Lake Forest, Calif.).
Freshman Sergio Fuentes (Whittier, Calif.) got the segment started with a corner into the box, which found the head of Connor Tait-Mole (Livermore, Calif.) who found the foot of Suri who put it away to put the Purple & Gold in front 1-0.
Freshmen Sam Johnson (Issaquah, WA) and Sage Shepard (Corona, Calif.) forced Bruin keeper Ricardo Sotelo into two tough save situations soon after but the third time would be the charm as Darren Holmes (Newcastle, UK) would be the lucky one in the 20th minute connecting with a bicycle kick off a header from Tait-Mole.
In the final eight minutes, Whittier looked to add to their lead with another three shots on frame, with two coming from Jacob Conlon (Placentia, Calif.), but none would connect as WC would go into the half leading 2-0.
In the second, George Fox picked up their intensity outshooting the Poets 8-7, but couldn't get anything to drop as the Poets stifling defense would limit the Bruin opportunities late. The Purple & Gold added insurance in the 61st minute when Holmes added his second of the game, this time on a hustle play in the box off a rebound in front of the goal. This would secure the victory as Whittier would go on to win 3-0, with Jorge Rivas (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) posting his first win of the season and his first shutout, while collecting two saves.
Whittier held the advantage on corner kicks 5-1 and forced Bruin goalie Sotelo into nine save chances. Holmes, Suri, and Matteo Loi (Kirkland, WA) each took three shots with two on goal, while Fuentes and Conlon, each recorded a pair.
Whittier opens up SCIAC play this Wednesday, September 7 as they host Cal Lutheran University beginning at 7:00pm.
