WHITTIER, Calif. (Oct. 13, 2024) – Junior midfielder
Alanis Cervantes (La Habra, Calif. / La Habra) of the Whittier College women's soccer team had herself a game for the ages, propelling her team to victory against a tough Chapman University team on Senior Night.
Prior to the game, 11 Poets were recognized for their achievements and contributions to the program, 10 of which were four-year letterwinners. However, the Panthers, positioned right behind the Poets in the SCIAC standings, seemed primed to spoil the party with two goals within the game's first three minutes of action.
Face with an unlikely two-goal deficit to open the game, the cavalry went to work, with Cervantes chief among Whittier offensive contributors. Once the home team got its bearings, it kept Chapman on its back foot with players like Cervantes, junior
Samantha Armenta (Huntington Beach, Calif. / Fountain Valley) and senior
Juliana Hodgson (Fullerton, Calif. / Sunny Hills) in the midfield making outstanding tackles to cut the Panthers off and set up counter attacks that would either lead to scoring chances or corner kicks. The Poets had eight corner kicks in all, and two would directly result in goals. Cervantes, one of the Poets' go-to-players on set pieces, achieved perfect ball placement on both plays to earn assists.
The first goal came late in the first half off the touch of freshman forward
Jessica Jensen (Las Vegas, Nev. / Liberty). Jensen's goal gave the Poets life before halftime, as well as a share of the team's goalscoring lead in spite of traditionally coming off the bench in most games. The Poets struck again in the second half when Cervantes found
Layla Traylor (Covina, Calif. / Charter Oak), one of the home team's 11 seniors honored before the game in the 55th minute. By that point, Whittier had the wind at its back and all the momentum it could ask for.
For the remainder of the game, the Poets had little trouble marching down the field to create chance after chance against the Panthers. However, the Purple & Gold finally broke through for the game-winning goal after direct passes from Hodgson as well as sophomore forward
Madeline Traylor (Covina, Calif. / Charter Oak) this time tee'd Cervantes up for her own goal from about 25 yards out off the right side. The junior launched a deep shot that curled to the left of the opposing goalkeeper, bringing the home fans to their feet in an incredible frenzy. For the final 15 minutes, the Poets rode the play of junior goalkeeper
Mya Rodriguez (Visalia, Calif. / El Diamante), one of several impact additions to the team this year, to victory. Rodriguez kept the Panthers off the scoreboard for as long as she was in the game and made four saves for good measure.
Head Coach
Derek Hanks and the Poets now find themselves in incredible shape in the SCIAC standings, and should soon clinch a berth into the SCIAC Postseason Tournament. They will take their bye this Wednesday and return on Saturday, Oct. 19 at the University of Redlands.
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