LA VERNE, Calif. — Occidental College and the University of La Verne battled to a 3-3 draw on Wednesday at Ortmayer Stadium. The Tigers jumped to an early lead with two first-half goals, but the Leopards responded with a three-goal surge in the second half to equalize. Both teams recorded 17 shots, with the visitors managing eight on target compared to the hosts' five.
Occidental seized control early in the first half with
Ayden Rieke-Wey finding the back of the net in the 18th minute, assisted by
Vicente Navarro, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. The Tigers extended their advantage when
Aiden Aley scored in the 36th minute, with an assist from
Elijah Edelman, making it 2-0. Despite the Leopards' multiple shot attempts, the Tigers' defense held firm, maintaining the two-goal lead into halftime.
The second half opened with Occidental asserting pressure early, as shots by Rieke-Wey, Edelman, and
Devin Bening tested the La Verne defense. Despite this offensive push, the Leopards netted three consecutive goals between the 72nd and 80th minutes, turning the tide in their favor. However, Occidental's persistence paid off in the final moments, as Bening's goal in the 90th minute, assisted by a precisely placed corner kick from Aley, secured a dramatic 3-3 draw.
Occidental Top Performers
Vicente Navarro
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- one assist
- one shot
Devin Bening
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- one goal
- four shots
- four shots on goal
Aiden Aley
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- one goal
- one assist
- one shot
Elijah Edelman
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- one assist
- four shots
- two shots on goal
Ayden Rieke-Wey
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- one goal
- five shots
- one shot on goal
Occidental now holds a record of 2-2-2 overall and 0-0-1 in conference play. The Leopards stand at 2-1-3 overall and 0-0-1 in conference competition.
Looking ahead, the Tigers will host Pomona-Pitzer in Los Angeles, CA, on September 20. The match is set for 7 p.m. as they continue their season on home turf at Patterson Field.
