WHITTIER, Calif. – After starting the 2026 season 8-3 overall, the Poets began SCIAC play against the La Verne Leopards at the Lillian Slade Aquatics Center. Wednesday night's game went in Whittier's favor as the Poets secured a narrow 16-15 victory.
Daniel Totev and Louis Hackett paced the offense with four goals apiece. Hackett also added an assist, while three other Poets dished out two assists each. Goalie Mike Hale held it down in net with 10 saves.
Whittier fell behind 1-0 to start the first period but responded with three unanswered goals, including one from Hackett, to move in front, 3-1. La Verne got one back before Totev and Ivan Cardenas each found the back of the net, extending the Poets' advantage to 5-2. The Leopards closed the period with two straight goals, sending the teams back to their benches with Whittier ahead, 5-4.
The two sides exchanged goals to start the second period before La Verne evened the score at 6-6. Jason Dickson and Totev then rattled the cage to put Whittier back in front, 8-6. The Leopards and Poets continued to trade scores throughout the remainder of the half, with Whittier holding a 10-8 advantage at the break.
La Verne erased the deficit and knotted the game at 11-11 with four minutes remaining in the third. Whittier quickly responded as Totev found the back of the net before Hackett struck twice, giving the Poets a 14-11 advantage heading into the fourth.
The Leopards cut the margin to one, 14-13, to make the final period interesting. Both sides continued to exchange scores down the stretch, but Whittier held on to prevail, 16-15.
With the victory, Whittier moved to 1-0 in SCIAC play and 9-3 overall.
The Poets will head to Claremont for four games at the Gary Troyer Invitational on Oct. 2 and 3.
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