Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Men's Soccer team opened up Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play Wednesday evening at the Donald E. Graham Soccer Field but couldn't come away with the win as they fell 2-1 in overtime to Cal Lutheran University.
It was a battle for 106 minutes but the Kingsmen were able to find the final dagger off the foot of Andres Mendoza with 3:38 remaining in double overtime.
Whittier edged the Kingsmen in total shots 19-18 and totaled 13 corner kicks compared to CLU's four but was only able to connect on one, which came in the 26th minute. Ricardo Pena (Bell Gardens, Calif.) took it and sent one in the box finding Darren Holmes (Newcastle, UK) who headed it over to James Suri (Lake Forest, Calif.) who then struck it past Kingsmen keeper Sergio Esquivel. This put the Purple & Gold in front 1-0 but it wouldn't hold up as CLU would find the equalizer five minutes later from Mendoza who got past the Poet backline on a hustle play.
In the second half, Suri looked to add his second of the contest as he would connect with the side post in the 61st minute. Connor Tait-Mole (Livermore, Calif.) had the second look for the game-winner in the final four minutes as he would take a corner from Sergio Fuentes (Albuquerque, NM) in the box but would also come up unlucky hitting the crossbar forcing the game into OT.
In the first overtime period CLU would get off the first two shots but both would be denied by Jorge Rivas (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.). Tait-Mole would get the lone shot off for the Poets but it would end up wide.
In the final ten minutes, Fuentes had a great look in the box two minutes in but the shot would just miss wide left barely missing the corner and the Kingsmen would then capitalize as Mendoza would be found by Diego Ortega in the box for the game-winner.
Suri took five shots for the game with two being on goal. Tait-Mole and Fuentes each had three, while Holmes and Jacob Conlon (Placentia, Calif.) would each add two themselves.
Rivas finished with five saves playing all 106 minutes.
Whittier remains at home this Saturday, September 10 as they host Pomona-Pitzer beginning at 7:00pm.
