Box Score By Michael Wells
Sports Information Director
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — It may have been a handball in the box and it may have been offsides, but the whistle didn't blow, the flag stayed down and the Occidental College women's soccer team almost knocked off No. 9 Cal Lutheran University.
After what appeared to be a handball in the Cal Lu box, Kristina Hulse scored on the ensuing counter attack for the Regals on a through ball from Taylor Will, tying the game at one. Then three minutes into the first overtime period, Nicole Rains scored the golden goal to beat the Tigers 2-1.
"The reward should have been greater tonight than just the feeling of a very good performance," Occidental coach Colm McFeely said.
Instead of handing the Regals (19-1, 12-0) their first loss since Oxy beat them 1-0 last season on Oct. 6 and foiling their undefeated season, the Tigers conclude the year with a gutsy effort and what could have been quite a sendoff for six seniors whose careers as student-athletes came to a close on Saturday night at Jack Kemp Stadium.
"I give this team a lot of credit because they gave what I felt was an outstanding performance, mirrored by some very disciplined play all over the field," McFeely said. "They played with energy, they played with passion. …I could not be happier with their performance, effort and attitude."
Elissa Minamishin (Waipahu, HI) scored her 12th goal of the season in the 20th minute and the Tigers held a one-goal lead for 63 minutes, outplaying the undefeated Regals until Hulse's equalizer turned the momentum.
"I felt like we had a legitimate handball in the box," McFeely said. "After that, the whole effect really sank in and a little bit of tiredness to go with it."
The Tigers say goodbye to six seniors.
Maddy Rasch (Seattle, WA), Liz Martin (Fremont, CA), Bree Geary (Del Mar, CA), Alex McHenry (Denver, CO), Kellee Murayama (Waipahu, HI) and Lauren Johnson (Chicago, IL) all will graduate in the spring.
"I think those seniors now that move on can be very proud of this performance, setting the standards that those coming after them have to meet," McFeely said.
