Claremont, Calif. - Danika Bethune (pictured) broke a scoreless tie in the 60th minute and Sara Ach added an insurance goal in the 74th as the Pomona-Pitzer Women's Soccer team began SCIAC play with a 2-0 win over La Verne on Wednesday. 

With the win, the Sagehens improve to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in league play, while La Verne falls to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in the conference. 

The Bethune goal was a long time coming, as the Sagehens held a 14-0 edge in shots in the first half and were unable to get onto the scoreboard as La Verne goalie Delanie Pacheco had seven saves in the opening stanza. Her best stop was when Pomona-Pitzer used some quick passing to put Nicole Quilliam in alone, but Pacheco tipped her shot off the post and over the line for a corner kick.

La Verne nearly took the lead on their first shot in the opening five minutes of the second half as Jamie Weaver got behind the defense and was in alone, but Sagehens goalie Annie Wedel came off her line and was able to smother the shot at the top of the box off of Weaver's foot. 

Bethune finally got Pomona-Pitzer on the board at the 59:42 mark. Jamie Kerester started the play from the left sideline, centering a ball to Quilliam outside the left edge of the box. Quilliam reversed the ball quickly to Bethune on the right, and Bethune one-timed a shot from inside the 18 just under the bar to make the score 1-0.  

Ach was denied on a breakaway by Pacheco in the 74th minute as she deflected the shot wide of the left post for a corner. After the corner kick was cleared the Sagehens played the ball back in and Pacheco came off her line to knock it from danger. However, Ach was able to gather in the loose ball and deposit a shot from 15 yards out, past the lunge of a La Verne defender covering the goal line to make the score 2-0.  

Pomona-Pitzer finished with a 25-3 edge in shots for the game. Pacheco had 11 saves for the Leopards, while Wedel had two to get the shutout.

The Sagehens will be back in action on Saturday when they host Redlands in another SCIAC contest, beginning at 11 a.m.