Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Soccer team fell unlucky Wednesday night as an own goal would secure the overtime win for the Cal Lutheran Regals 2-1.
With 2:00 to play in the second OT period, the Purple & Gold looked like they would come away with the draw with the top ranked team in SCIAC. But at the 1:21 mark, a Whittier defender made a costly mistake attempting to clear a ball in the box with her head, accidentally hitting it backwards over junior keeper Stella Thermos (Seal Beach, Calif.), which gave CLU the come from behind victory.
This makes it the second straight game the Poets have fallen in extra time as they drop back to .500 at 5-5, 2-5 SCIAC, while seeing their losing skid extend to four games.
The Purple & Gold struck first as Clarissa Field (Whittier, Calif.) found the head of Leah Kolek (Diamond Bar, Calif.) in the 41st minute coming off a corner kick. This lead would hold into the break but wouldn't last long as the Regals would add the equalizer six minutes into the second half from Trinity Martinez.
Cal Lutheran held the edge on shots at 13-12, but the Poets were able to get a 7-3 advantage on corner kicks.
Thermos picked up the loss playing all 108 minutes finishing with three saves. Kolek led the offense with six shots and four being on frame, while Jazmin Gomez (Norwalk, Calif.) would connect for two of her own.
Whittier remains at home Saturday, October 7 at 5:00pm as they host Occidental College.
