LOS ANGELES, CA — Occidental College and Soka University of America battled to a 1-1 draw on Saturday at W.C. Patterson Field at Jack Kemp Stadium. The Tigers struck first, scoring in the opening half, but Soka equalized in the second half. Both teams had strong defensive efforts, with Occidental tallying seven shots on goal compared to Soka's three.

The first half began with both teams displaying strong defensive plays, but Occidental capitalized on their opportunities. Zakrie Smith put the Tigers ahead with a decisive goal in the 37th minute, assisted by Tess Adlam. Melanie Rodriguez made critical saves, including a notable one in the 35th minute, to maintain the home team's lead, ending the half with a 1-0 advantage over Soka.

The second half began with Occidental pressing forward, as Smith and Allison Bello each tested the Soka goalkeeper, Mackinzie Stenstrom, with shots in the first five minutes. Despite a series of attempts from Haley Jacobson and Caitlin Kailus, Stenstrom remained resolute in goal, turning away multiple shots to keep Soka in the match. With time winding down, Soka's Mar Acosta found the back of the net in the 87th minute, leveling the match at 1-1 and setting up a dramatic conclusion to the contest.

Occidental Top Performers

Melanie Rodriguez  
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- two saves  
- one goal against  

Tess Adlam  
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- one assist  
- one shot  

Zakrie Smith  
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- one goal  
- three shots  
- one shot on goal  

Occidental holds a record of 1-0-1 on the season. The Lions stand at 0-0-2 overall following the match.

In their next game, Occidental will defend their home turf against Westcliff University on September 12. The match is set to kick off at 5 p.m. in Los Angeles, CA.