Saturday Showdown Set for SCIAC Crown
WHITTIER, Calif. – Following a 2-0 road win over Whittier on Wednesday evening the Cal Lutheran women's soccer team will play for the conference title in its regular season finale at home against Occidental on Saturday. The team's 17th win this year equals the program record in a single season and gives CLU the chance for a SCIAC crown and redemption.
Box Score: CLU 2, WC 0 – F
Cal Lutheran dominated possession and enjoyed a comfortable 27-5 margin in shots taken. All five of the Regals shots on goal in the first half were turned away by Poets goalkeeper Megan Wessel. CLU goalkeeper Kristin Borzi turned away a pair of WC shots on goal in the opening 45 minutes.
The team leaders in goals and assists respectively got into their familiar routine early in the second half. Senior Brittany Clark scored her 11th of the season with CLU newcomer Sinead Vaughan distributing assist number six of the year on the eventual game-winning goal.
Mayra Virgen locked down the victory scoring with just over eight minutes left in regulation, assisted by Kristin Cameron.
Wessel stopped 13 shots on goal in the loss, while Borzi and Tina Hedwall each played a half in combining for the team's fifth shutout over the past six contests.
Cal Lutheran (17-1-1, 9-1-1 SCIAC) and Occidental (11-2-2, 9-1-1 SCIAC) will not only be battling for a conference title in Thousand Oaks this weekend, but also the top seed for the conference tournament which will start on Wednesday, Nov. 3.
A win by either team would give the victorious squad both the outright conference title and the No. 1 seed throughout the tournament.
A draw would provide a regular season SCIAC Co-Championship shared between the two teams, with Occidental earning the top-seed for the event based on its head-to-head mark with Cal Lutheran. The Tigers handed the Regals their only loss of the season by a 1-0 margin back on Oct. 6.
Cal Lutheran will host either the No. 3 seed Claremont-Mudd-Scripps or No. 4 seed Redlands on Wednesday, Nov. 3 currently scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. start.
