Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Lacrosse team battled early against No. 25 Claremont-M-S but couldn't maintain it as they fell 21-4 at Memorial Stadium.
The Purple & Gold drop now to 1-4, 1-4 SCIAC, while Claremont-M-S improves to 3-1.
Over the first six minutes the Poets hung tough with the Athenas putting up a pair of goals from Neely O'Grady (Lorton, VA) and Jai Battle (Simi Valley, Calif.) that kept the game tied. But after that CMS pulled away with eight unanswered, two of which came from Katelyn Sparks. Freshman Loren Sepulveda (Middleburg, VA) stopped the run at the 4:33 mark off a feed from O'Grady. But it wasn't enough to thwart the CMS attack as they would tack on another three right before the half.
The defensive unit hung tough for the Poets in the second half limiting the high-powered Claremont-M-S offense to just eight goals. But on the other side of the ball WC was only able to put up one goal themselves that came from Chella Davidson (Portland, OR) on a free-position attempt ten minutes in.
After that the Poets were held scoreless as CMS would go on to add another seven en route to the lopsided victory.
Whittier finished with 15 shots, 12 groundballs, 10 draw controls, and was 8-of-14 on clear attempts.
Between the posts freshman Jaelin Isquith (Las Vegas, NV) finished with six saves against 27 shots. Sepulveda led the offense with a goal and added four groundballs and four draw controls. O'Grady put up a goal and an assist with three groundballs, a draw control and a caused turnover and Davidson registered a goal, a groundballs and four draw controls.
Whittier gets back into action next Wednesday, March 11 when they travel to take on Chapman University beginning at 7:00pm.
