LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Occidental lost to Pomona-Pitzer 2-1 on Saturday at W.C. Patterson Field at Jack Kemp Stadium.
The Tigers survived an eight-action Pomona-Pitzer attacking stretch from 50:30 to 62:30 of the second half without conceding, but the Tigers could not pull level. The Tigers finished with eight shots, three on goal, and got nine saves while Pomona-Pitzer totaled 23 shots and 11 shots on goal.
The Tigers erased an early deficit at 31:22, when
Mia Steadman scored off assists from
Zakrie Smith and
Bella Calemine to level the match at 1-1.
Earlier, Pomona-Pitzer went in front in the fifth minute on Sabina Peterson Rajalingam's goal from Ingrid Nelson, and the Tigers spent much of the half defending pressure, with
Melanie Rodriguez making saves in the 13th, 26th and 37th minutes. Smith had the Tigers' first recorded shot in the 18th minute before helping on the equalizer, and Steadman added another attempt wide right just before the break. Rodriguez made another save in the 41st minute, and the Tigers reached halftime tied 1-1.
The Tigers faced a 2-1 deficit early in the second half after Brooke Bailey scored for Pomona-Pitzer at 48:56, with Rodriguez having already saved a shot by Anya Offenbacher-Jones shortly after the restart. Rodriguez kept the Tigers at that score through a sustained Pomona-Pitzer push, saving attempts by Sabina Peterson Rajalingam in the 54th and 63rd minutes while the visitors recorded six shots and a corner kick from 50:30 to 62:30.
The Tigers created a concentrated attacking stretch from 65:52 to 70:42, earning two corners and getting shots from
Alessia Sacchi,
Mia Merkelbach and
Zakrie Smith, with Patricia DePalma saving the efforts from Sacchi and Smith. The final stages included four Tigers fouls from 72:38 to 81:33 and
Maile Fukushima's yellow card, and Rodriguez added another save on Vivian Rojas Collins at 82:07 before Sacchi put the Tigers' last shot over the top at 89:50. The half ended without another goal, giving Pomona-Pitzer a 2-1 final over the Tigers.
Tigers Top Performers
Melanie Rodriguez
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- nine saves
- 90:00 in goal
Mia Steadman
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- one goal
- two points
- two shots
Zakrie Smith
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- one assist
- two shots
- one shot on goal
Bella Calemine
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- one assist
- one shot
The Tigers are 1-4-0 overall and 1-1-0 in conference play. Pomona-Pitzer is 3-1-1 overall and 1-0-1 in conference play.
