LOS
ANGELES, Calif. (Nov. 8, 2008) – A disappointing opening game
loss at the 2008 conference tournament left the Tigers out of
contention to claim a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference title although they rebounded to win their final two
games of the weekend to place fourth among the eight team
field.
Senior Tigers had a sendoff to remember as
the class of 2008 accounted for all seven scores in a 7-6 victory
over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the final game of the career for the
group of Andrew Valdes, Abiel Garcia, Cameron
Brahmst and John
Wensman.
After a scoreless first quarter of action,
Valdes, one of the nation's leading scorers this season, got
Oxy on the board before Brahmst netted three consecutive goals in
the third period giving the Tigers a 4-2 cushion. The Stags came
back with two goals of their own before Garcia scored. Again CMS
posted back-to-back goals take a one goal lead. With 1:53 to play
in regulation Wensman scored the first of his two goals to knot
things up at 6-6. Fifteen seconds before the game would be sent
into overtime, Wensman again scored giving Occidental a win in
their season finale.
Max Kelly made eight stops in
front of the cage for Occidental.
Saturday, the Tigers dominated the
University of La Verne with a 17-5 victory. Wensman again led the
way with a season high six-goal performance. Brahmst and Valdes
each added a pair as did Adam
Kantor.
Kelly recorded seven saves as Oxy's
goalie.
On the opening day of the SCIAC Tournament Oxy
fell victim to Whittier College in a low-scoring, defensive battle,
falling 4-3.
The Poets opened the game on a 4-0 run but the
Tigers clawed back into it starting with a third quarter goal from
Brahmst with 24 seconds to play. He added his second of the game in
the fourth and Valdes also found the back of the net to pull within
one, but that was as close as Oxy would get to advancing in the
winners bracket after the Tigers failed to score on a penalty shot
attempt.
This weekend was also the final appearance in
the collegiate career of Sean Inoue band Jake
Santelli.
The
Tigers completed the 2008 season just above .500 at 15-14 finishing
SCIAC play with a 7-3 mark.
Complete
Tournament Results
