REDLANDS -- In a first-place clash between maybe the SCIAC's fastest team and its strongest team, the speedy, but shorthanded Occidental men's soccer squad didn't have enough juice to knock off a physical Redlands side, losing 1-0 on Wednesday. 

Casey ChubbFertal scored the Bulldogs' goal in the 21st minute, bending in a right-footed shot past diving Oxy goalkeeper Theo Atkinson. The score came after a buildup of loose balls in Oxy's box that the Tigers were only able to keep from being fired on goal for so long.

Both teams had their share of the possession and chances on goal in a mostly evenly played match. 

The Tigers appeared to have the equalizer in the 85th minute after star center back Gabriel Barrett-Jackson moved to forward as the game grew more desperate. The two-time track All-American nudged a cross that went just over the goal line and back into play. But when the lines judge put his flag up it was to indicate offsides and not the goal Oxy thought it had.

Season Impact: The Tigers are 11-2-3 overall and 8-2-3 in SCIAC with three conference matches to play. Oxy remains in second place with 27 points, trailing the first-place Bulldogs by four, while holding a two-point lead over Chapman and La Verne.

The Tigers will need to win and get some help if they are going to win their first regular season SCIAC Championship in program history. 

Oxy is inching closer toward securing a spot in the four-team SCIAC Postseason Tournament that determines the SCIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. 

The Bulldogs win their seventh in a row, improving to 12-2-2 and 10-2-1.

Playing Shorthanded: Oxy was missing a few key players for the second time against Redlands this season. The Tigers played without co-captain Zack Conrad, First Team All-SCIAC selection Tod Kawada and starting center midfielder Santiago Bedoya-Gallego who missed the match with injuries.

Oxy was without Kawada, Conrad and Connor Freeman in its first match with the Bulldogs and only other loss of the season, 2-1 at Oxy on Oct. 3.

First Half Oxy Chances: Freeman had an excellent chance in the 9th minute, taking a spinning touch that put him past the Bulldogs defense, but his low shot was saved by Josh Haskil.

Daniel Lawson put a header on the frame in the opening moments of the match that was also saved. 

Next Match: Oxy returns home against Chapman at 7 p.m. on Saturday.