WHITTIER, Calif. –
Sofia Lopez made sure the Whittier College women's soccer team came away with something Saturday morning.
Lopez set a new career high with 11 saves, the Poets held Chapman University scoreless and Whittier battled to a 0-0 draw at Memorial Stadium.
The draw moved Whittier to 2-2-1 on the season and continued the Poets' six-game season-opening homestand.
Chapman generated pressure throughout the match, finishing with 14 shots and 11 shots on goal, but Lopez answered every chance that came her way.
The Whittier goalkeeper made four saves in the first half, helping the Poets go into halftime scoreless. She was even busier after the break, adding seven more saves in the second half to preserve the clean sheet.
It marked Lopez's second shutout of the season and her third in a Poets uniform. It also came just one match after she set a new NCAA career high with eight saves against Pacific University.
Whittier's defensive group also handled a full morning of work in front of Lopez.
Annabelle Allison and
Jaidyn Aceves both played all 90 minutes, while
Bella Lechuga logged 84 minutes and
Mia Cordova added 79.
Audrey Burgmaier also played 78 minutes, and Nena Saldivar gave the Poets 67 minutes off the bench.
The Poets limited Chapman's corner kick chances after halftime, holding the Panthers without a corner in the second half after Chapman earned three in the opening 45 minutes.
Whittier created its best attacking chances in the second half.
Melissa Tenorio put the Poets' first shot on goal in the opening half, and
Danielle Bard added another shot on frame. Veronica Pérez also tested the goalkeeper in the second half, while
Adina Johnson added a shot during Whittier's push forward.
The Poets finished with four total shots and put three on goal. Tenorio, Bard, Pérez, and Johnson each recorded one shot.
Although Whittier could not find the breakthrough on the attacking end, the Poets stayed organized defensively and held firm through a busy second half.
The result gave Whittier its first draw of the season and another strong defensive showing at Memorial Stadium.
Whittier will finish its six-game season-opening homestand on Wednesday, September 16, with its SCIAC opener against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.
