WHITTIER, Calif. (Oct. 8, 2022) - Whittier sophomore Shayla Sakkakhanaune scored the game-winning goal in the 87th minute to propel the Poets to a 1-0 home win over the Occidental Tigers Saturday.

Junior Avery Gonzalez provided a textbook lead pass to Sakkakhanaune who outran two defenders down the left side of the field, receiving the ball near the baseline to the left of the goal. The sophomore then struck the ball with her right foot, sending it in the right side of the net just over the goalkeeper's outstretched arms. 

Following the game, Sakkakhanaune said she was "really excited" about making her first start of the season because she did not expect it.

"(Head coach Derek Hanks) basically tells us the lineup right when we get on the field," Sakkakhanaune said. "That was already a shock, so I wanted to go out and play as hard as I could for my team. And then when I got to go back in in the second half, I thought, 'I wish my parents were here.'"

The Sakkakhanaune parents lives in Fresno and could not attend Shayla's game, because they were watching Shayla's brother, a senior high school soccer player, play in Stockton on Saturday.

"I wanted to be able to tell my parents something good after today's game," Sakkakhanaune said, "When I got that ball, I thought to myself that I didn't know if I'd have the chance to get another shot off after this, so I might as well just try it, and it went in. That was amazing."

Poets goalkeeper senior Vanessa Martinez posted her fifth shutout of the season and second of the week. She leads the SCIAC in saves (54) and save percentage (.844), is tied for most wins (7), ranks second in shutouts and is tied for second in minutes played (990:00).

Whittier's next match comes Wedensday Oct. 12 at home against the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens, who currently stand atop the SCIAC with a 5-0-2 record in conference play this season.

Photo: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

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