Photo: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

ORANGE, Calif. (Sept. 18, 2021) – The Whittier College women's soccer team put together another impressive offensive showing at Chapman University on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Panthers 3-1. The Poets have now outscored their opponents 7-2 over the last week and are out to their first 2-0 start in SCIAC play since the 2015 season.

It did not take long for Whittier to assert itself on the offensive end. Freshman forward Layla Traylor (Covina, Calif. Oak) got the visitors on the board with a quick goal just five minutes into the first half. Meanwhile, the goalkeeping tandem of freshman Arizbeth Juarez (Whittier, Calif. / California) and senior Vanessa Martinez (La Mirada, Calif. / Fullerton) kept the Panthers at bay for the majority of the first-half until the home team tied the game on a penalty-kick goal.

However, the Poets were determined to continue its attacking momentum in the second half, and managed to do just that. Following a series of substitutions that put fresh legs on the field for the visiting side, freshman defender Sarah Blackmore (Beaverton, Ore. Aloha) scored the game-winning goal just eight minutes into the final half. Seven minutes later, classmate Elizabeth Roybal (West Covina, Calif. South Hills) padded the Poets' lead with her second goal of the season. Through five games, Roybal leads the Poets with five points (two goals, one assist). Martinez, who registered her first win of the season, led Whittier with five saves over 74 minutes of action.

Head Coach Derek Hanks and the Poets will try for three consecutive SCIAC wins when they travel to California Lutheran University (4-2-1, 2-0 SCIAC) on Wednesday, Sept. 22 in a battle of unbeaten teams within the conference.

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