REDLANDS, Calif. — Occidental College defeated the University of Redlands 1-0 on Saturday at Farquhar Field. The lone goal came in the second half, securing the win for the Tigers. The defense held strong, with the Occidental goalkeeper making three saves to secure the shutout.

Occidental opened the first half with early offensive pressure, highlighted by a header from Samantha An hitting the crossbar in the opening minute. Mia Steadman followed up with a blocked shot, maintaining the attacking momentum. Goalkeeper Melanie Rodriguez was pivotal, making several key saves, including a stop against Sabrina Semmere's shot in the 5th minute, keeping the score level.

Occidental continued to press forward, with Diana Reyes-Sanchez and Malia DeCastro both testing Redlands' goalkeeper Shannon Stewart with shots on goal. Despite several corner kicks and attempts by Kylie Meredith Jones, the team was unable to break through the Bulldogs' defense. The half concluded with a 0-0 scoreline, as neither team managed to find the back of the net.

The second half began with Occidental applying pressure on Redlands' defense. Maile Fukushima's early shot was saved by Shannon Stewart, setting the tone for a half dominated by Occidental's offensive efforts. Despite multiple attempts, including shots by Mia Steadman and Jones, Redlands' goalkeeper remained resolute until the 71st minute. It was then that Jones capitalized on a deflection, scoring the half's only goal with an assist from Cynthia Jorsling.

As the half progressed, the Tigers continued to test Redlands' defense with additional shots and corner kicks, while maintaining their defensive composure. Redlands' attempts to equalize were thwarted, with a key shot by Jessica Chavez going high. The half concluded with Occidental maintaining their 1-0 lead, securing the victory as the final whistle blew. The 1-0 score secured the 3rd straight shutout victory in conference play for the Oxy defense and goalkeeper Melanie Rodriguez.

Occidental Top Performers  

Melanie Rodriguez  
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- 90 minutes played  
- three saves  
- one shutout  

Cynthia Jorsling  
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- one assist  

Kylie Meredith Jones  
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- one goal  
- five shots  
- two shots on goal  
- one game-winning goal  

Occidental improved to 5-1-2 overall and 4-0-1 in SCIAC play following the victory.  The win moved the Tigers into sole possession of 2nd place in the SCIAC with 13 points.

The next matchup for Oxy will be on October 8th when the team travels to Orange, CA to take on the Chapman Panthers. Kickoff is set for 4:00pm.