WHITTIER, Calif. (Oct. 8, 2025) – The Whittier College women's soccer team made a statement on Wednesday afternoon at Memorial Stadium, taking down No. 21 Cal Lutheran, 2-1, in the highest quality win of Head Coach
Derek Hanks' career. The victory marked the Poets' first SCIAC triumph of the season and came in thrilling fashion thanks to freshman defender
Logan Bays (West Sacramento, Calif. / River City).
Whittier wasted no time setting the tone. Just under three minutes into the contest, junior
Nena Saldivar (San Diego, Calif. / Monte Vista / San Diego Miramar College), linking up once again with former San Diego Miramar teammate
Ashley Galvan (Los Angeles, Calif. / St. Mary's Academy / San Diego Miramar College), broke free off a clever reverse pass at the top of the box.
Cal Lutheran equalized in the 78th minute, but the Poets refused to let the moment slip away. With just over six minutes left in regulation, senior
Alanis Cervantes (La Habra, Calif. / La Habra) passed a perfect ball to Bays at the top corner of the box. The freshman took her time, surveyed the defense, and rifled a shot into the far post for her first career NCAA goal; the
eventual game-winner that sent the Purple & Gold faithful into celebration. Goalkeeper
Mya Rodriguez (Visalia, Calif. / El Diamante / College of the Sequoias) was once again steady in net, collecting five saves to secure the win. The back line, led by
Vivian Martinez (Palmdale, Calif. / Knight / College of the Canyons) and
Emma Tumbarello (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. / Rancho Cucamonga), battled against a 15-shot effort from the Regals to preserve the upset.
With the result, Whittier improves to 4-2-4 overall and 1-2-3 in SCIAC play. The Poets will look to carry their momentum into Senior Night on Saturday, Oct. 11, when they host the University of Redlands at 5 p.m. inside Memorial Stadium.
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