Author: Earl Park
The Occidental women’s soccer team continued their winning streak with a 1–0 victory over Chapman on Saturday, moving to 4–0 overall and 2–0 in conference play. Through the backline’s shutout and some late-game heroics from forward Julie Khil (sophomore), the Tigers were able to triumph in double over time.
Occidental set the tone from the start of the match, creatingchanceson the offensive endand stifling the opponent’s attack. The Tigers finished with 16 total shots (11 on goal) compared to the Panther’s seven total shots (four on goal). Despite the Tigers’ higher volume of shots, the game ended dead-even, signaling the addition of overtime periods; at the end, the Tigers continued to build off their regular time performance to seal the victory.
Occidental was able to break the deadlock at the 102nd minute when first-year midfielder Alana Hillman shook off a defender to go on a deep run and send the ball down the line to junior defender Michaela Tsuha. Tsuha crossed the ball deep into the box where it was dummied before Khil finally sent the ball into the back of the net. The golden goal punctuated the team‘s relentless efforts and kept the Tigers’ undefeated season alive.
“Alannah took this girl on and met her at 25 yards, had a diagonal ball back and it crashed the net after it was dummied,” Khil said.
The Tigers, now entering the heart of SCIAC play, will be ready for similar battles from conference foes.
“It’s all about pushing through to the end, and I look forward to tough battles and pulling through,” team captain and defender Abigail Mitchell (senior) said.
Coach Colm McFeely, pleased with the recent performances, looks to expand upon the early season success with a concerted team effort.
“In every game a player or two steps up and makes important plays, but our goal is to have everyone feel that their effort and play is important and that they make a difference,” McFeely said. “Working to get better every day in practice and looking no further than the next game will give us opportunities for success and program growth.”
The Tigers will host Pomona-Pitzer on Wednesday 7 p.m.
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