Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Lacrosse team put up a test early Wednesday evening as they pushed Pomona-Pitzer in their home opener only to fall 21-7.

The Purple & Gold answered the Sagehens goal for goal within the first seven minutes as Nicole Lindke (Pleasanton, Calif.) and Lexie Meanor (Sewickley, PA) would go back-to-back getting fed by Emily Hansen (Seal Beach, Calif.) and Melanie Rizzotti (Mukilteo, WA).  After a 3-0 run by PP to go back on top, Hansen found the back of the net with 14:48 to play and was followed by Meanor who tacked on her second of the game that kept the deficit at three.

At the 6:28 mark, Lindke was able to capitalize on a free-position that kept WC within striking distance but over the final 5:31, the Sagehens would convert four unanswered giving them a 12-5 lead at the break.

Noelle Tamas (Granite Bay, Calif.) for the Poets picked up her first goal on the season out of the break getting fed by Neely O'Grady (Lorton, VA) that cut the deficit in half.  Meanor then converted a man-up opportunity to complete her hat trick on the evening but that would be the last offense generated by the Purple & Gold as PP would close out the contest with eight straight that put the game out of reach.

Meanor was a perfect 3-3 on shots.  Lindke added two with two draw controls and two groundballs and Hansen added a goal and two assists with four groundballs and four draw controls. 

Madison Topping (El Dorado Hills, Calif.) got the start in goal and finished with 11 saves against 29 shots, while picking up seven groundballs.

Whittier on the evening was outshot 43-16, saw the Sagehens hold the advantage on draw controls (22-7), was 9-12 on clear attempts, converted 1-5 free-position opportunities and picked up 26 groundballs.      

Whittier (0-2, 0-2 SCIAC) has a break in competition until Saturday, March 3 when they host Claremont-M-S beginning at 11:00am.