LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Sept. 5, 2007) – If you took away the first five minutes of the game, the outcome may have been a tie. Unfortunately for Occidental, Hope International University took a 1-0 lead just 4:48 into the first half, and held the Tigers scoreless, handing them a loss in their first game of the season.

Entering her final collegiate season Adrienne Spivak served as a leader on the field and Melissa Warner led things in front of the goal with five blocks. Joining the senior pair were two juniors, three sophomores and four newcomers. 

Sophomore transfer Moe Kishida (Tokyo, Japan) was in the starting line-up for the Tigers after playing at the University of the Pacific a year ago. Also getting the nod to start for Occidental was a trio of freshman players from across the country. Emily Niklaus (Albuquerque, NM), Jesi Sasaki (Mililani, HI) and Corrine Winkler (Newton, MA) each donned black and orange for her first collegiate start.

Two more freshmen players, Season Falker-Rodriguez and Ali Caditz, stepped on the field for the first time as well.

The Royals' freshman forward Harmony Pruett found the back of the net early in the first half, leading Hope to their second victory of the season. Rebecca Dixon had nine blocks in front of the net for Hope.

Oxy will travel to Riverside, Calif. on Sunday to face off against non-conference La Sierra University for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff.