Los Angeles, Calif. – Sophomore midfielder Allie Tao (Alamo, Calif.) had three goals and an assist to lead the Pomona-Pitzer Women's Soccer team to a 4-3 win over Occidental on Wednesday afternoon.

With the win, the Sagehens improve to 6-2 on the season and 3-1 in the SCIAC, including six wins in their last seven games. Occidental slides to 2-5 overall and 2-2 in the SCIAC with the loss.

Tao scored twice in the first half to stake the Sagehens to a 2-1 lead, and then tacked on a goal and an assist on a goal from Anika Burrell (Ridgefield, Wash.) in the second half to put Pomona-Pitzer ahead 4-1. The Tigers struck for two late goals in the final eight minutes to pull within 4-3 with 1:06 left in regulation, but the Sagehens came away with the road win.

Both of Tao's goals in the first half were unassisted, as she scored just 2:12 into the game to get Pomona-Pitzer off to a fast start. She added a second goal at the 26:38 mark, but just over one minute later, Elissa Minamishin scored when Sagehen goalkeeper Emma Wolfarth (Arlington, Va.) caught her shot just over the goal line to make the score 2-1.

Tao assisted on Burrell's goal 9:28 into the second half to make it 3-1, as Burrell cracked a deep left-footed shot into the net for her first goal of the year. Just 47 seconds later, Tao finished off her hat trick when she dribbled past Occidental goalkeeper Megan Leslie and slipped the ball into the empty net.

Whitney Roline scored on a diving header with 7:30 left to cut the lead to 4-2, and Alex Nicholson capped off the scoring for Occidental with 1:06 remaining, but Tao's explosion gave the Sagehens enough of a cushion to withstand the late rally.

Pomona-Pitzer finished with a 17-15 edge in shots on the day. Wolfarth had five saves to get the win, while Leslie had three for Occidental.

The Sagehens will be back in action when they host SCIAC favorite Cal Lutheran on Saturday for an 11 a.m. contest. Cal Lutheran defeated Whittier 12-1 today to improve to 8-1 on the year.

(photo of Tao's first goal beating Occidental goalkeeper Megan Leslie accompanies the story - courtesy of Mike Wells)