Photo: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography

LA VERNE, Calif. (Sept. 14, 2022)- Sophomores Juliana Hodgson and Layla Traylor connected in the closing minutes Wednesday to produce the only goal of the night, leading Whittier to a 1-0 victory at La Verne in its first match of conference play. With the win, the Poets match their best start since 2017 (in 2015, Whittier began 5-0).

Hodgson, the Player of the Match, described the game as a "hard-fought battle for 90 minutes" and a "complete team win." When Whittier was awarded a free kick near midfield in the 84th minute, the 5-foot-2 midfielder from Sunny Hills High School stepped up.

"I served it in the box," Hodgson said, "and Layla was able to jump La Verne's keeper and score a great header."

The goal was Traylor's third of the season, including her second game-winning score in four matches. Traylor also has two assists and is the only Poet with a goal or assist in all four contests.

The assist was the first of Hodgson's assist marked the first of her collegiate career.

Senior goalkeeper Vanessa Martinez was outstanding yet again, saving all seven shots on goal she faced and extending her win-loss record to 4-0. In posting her second shutout in four games, Martinez boasts an impressive 1.00 GAA (goals against average).

Whittier brings its undefeated record back home to Memorial Stadium for Saturday's 7 p.m. match against Chapman University.