Occidental 1, Whittier 0

LOS ANGELES — The Occidental College women's soccer team kept the pressure on Whittier's defense all day, but the Poets hung tough through most of the game, keeping the ball out of the net.

It wasn't until the 76th minute that senior defender Abigail Mitchell scored the game's lone goal on a free kick, giving the Tigers a 1-0 win at Lower Field on Saturday.

Players of the Game: Mitchell capitalized on the set piece from 35 yards out. Her shot hit the crossbar just passed the outstretched fingers of Whittier goalkeeper Alexi Cruz and bounced just over the goal line.

Mitchell was outstanding on defense as well, frustrating the Poets' forwards.

"It was an amazing feeling to finally score my first goal," Mitchell said. "I'm really excited about the team's progression. We have a lot great players and I'm looking forward to the remainder of the season."

Stat of the Game: The Tigers' offense was relentless, totaling 14 shots on the day. Michaela Tsuha, Camille Shrager and Julie Khil all created numberous offensive chances.

On the defensive end, the Oxy back line, led by seniors Mitchell, Taryn Ng, and Stephanie Welty, kept the pressure off goalkeeper Dallas Gunny, limitlng the Poets shot attempts to three.

Season Impact: The Tigers bounce back from a four-game losing streak to win their last two matches. With today's win, they even their conference record at 4-4 and put themselves back in position to compete for the SCIAC postseason.

Next Game: The Tigers travel to Orange to face Chapman University (6-6-1, 3-2-1 SCIAC) on Oct. 15 at 4 p.m.