Box Score By Michael Wells
Sports Information Director
WHITTIER, Calif. — After Whitney Roline (Eugene, OR) scored in the seventh minute, the Occidental College women's soccer team gave up four unanswered goals, losing 4-1 at Whittier College on Wednesday.
Roline headed in a cross from Alex Nicholson (Bellevue, WA) that got Oxy on the board first, but after that, the Tigers (5-9, 5-6) fortune turned quickly.
Megan Wessel had her first of two goals to tie the game at one, then Ashlin Steele added the go-ahead goal Whittier before half. Wessel scored her second to give the Poets (2-15, 2-9) some insurance in the 49th minute and Chelsea Irha put the game out of reach in the 86th.
"It was not really much different then it has been in other games in a sense that we started out okay," Occidental coach Colm McFeely said. "Then we had some errors and we were punished for them."
Nicholson had two shots on goal, Liz Martin (Fremont, CA) had one and Roline had another for the Tigers, all coming up empty.
"We had opportunities, but weren't as consistent in our play," McFeely said. "It was just one of those days we'll look back on hope we don't have too many more of.'"
The loss makes Oxy's playoff hopes grim, but they aren't out of it. If the Tigers beat Cal Lutheran (11-0) in their season finale on Saturday night, and Redlands (6-5) loses to La Verne (1-10), then Oxy would be the fourth seed in the SCIAC tournament because they own the head-to-head tiebreaker with Redlands.
"I think this team has enough character to put this aside, after we have a look at it and talk about it, to get back at it against Cal Lu on Saturday," McFeely said. "It's a rival that we always look forward to taking on and playing."
Cal Lutheran has been the best team in the conference this year, but the Tigers are likely to be playing with a chip on their shoulder after losing to a team they should have beaten and with some extra emotion because of six seniors playing in their last game.
The Tigers will pay tribute to Bree Geary (Del Mar, CA), Lauren Johnson (Chicago, IL), Maddy Rasch (Seattle, WA), Liz Martin (Fremont, CA), Alex McHenry (Denver, CO), and Kellee Murayama (Wahiawa, HI).
If Oxy plays well, and gets a little help from La Verne, it may not be the last game they play as Tigers.
"There's no reason why can't do it," McFeely said. "We have the talent, we have the ability. If we play with the right spirit and the right fire, anything can happen."
