CLAREMONT, Calif. (April 10, 2010) – With the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season underway, every game is crucial and today on the road Occidental College got the upper hand, 7-5, in a low scoring affair between the Tigers and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas.

Defense played a huge role today as the Tigers were able to turn away 9-of-11 shots in man-down, 5-on-6 situations. Julie Monday came up with three steals while Karie Nickle, Tessa Bailey-Findley and Corinne Casey grabbed two apiece. Bailey-Findley, Nanea Fujiyama and Lauren Howarth each recorded a field block in the game as well.

Goalie Rachel Adeleye blocked 14 total shots, allowing just five goals in the game.

Oxy jumped out to an early 3-1 lead. Fujiyama scored the first of the afternoon, and of her team-high three goals, just 13 seconds into the game. Monday and Bailey-Findley also found the back of the net in the first period.

The Tigers and Athenas then exchanged two goals apiece in the second quarter, giving Oxy a 5-3 advantage at the intermission.

CMS put in a pair of goals in the third quarter while Oxy managed to fire off just one, from Fujiyama, which was the ultimate winning goal, making it a 6-5 game with 8:00 to play.

Casey added an insurance goal in the final period of play while the Oxy defense shut down the Athenas' offensive attack to hold on for the win.

Nickle dished out a team-high three assists and Casey had a pair. Monday drew a team-leading three ejections to go along with two goals and an assist.

On Wednesday, April 14 the Tigers (9-13) will host the Cal Lutheran University Regals (11-10) at 5:00 p.m. in Taylor Pool for a SCIAC showdown between unbeaten teams as both enter the contest at 3-0 in SCIAC play.

Article by: Tracy Maple, Sports Information Director