THOUSAND OAKS, CA. – The Pomona-Pitzer Women's Soccer team claimed the 2023 SCIAC Tournament Championship with a 1-0 win over SCIAC foe Cal Lutheran on Saturday afternoon at Rolland Stadium.
Season Impact: With the win, the Sagehens claimed their fourth-straight SCIAC Tournament Championship and will advance as the automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament with a 15-0-3 overall record.
The Sagehens were led by
Taylor Marshall who netted her first goal of the season in the biggest moment of her young Sagehen career with a deep free-kick as the only score in the game.
Patricia DePalma picked up the win in goal after she went the full 90 minutes for her seventh shutout of the season with four saves.
A battle of unbeaten teams met at Rolland Stadium for an ever-important Tournament Championship to decide the season series between the two SCIAC giants. The Sagehens and Regals met previously this season at Rolland stadium for a 1-1 draw with the Sagehens seeking their first win at Cal Lutheran since they won the SCIAC Tournament Championship in 2015
Cal Lutheran and Pomona-Pitzer played an incredibly even game as expected between the two talented programs. Cal Lutheran slightly outshot the Sagehens 10-7 with both teams earning four shots on target. Both teams also had the same number of corners with three each.
A very cautious first half by the Sagehens as they looked for good chances to score on the road, but the Cal Lutheran defense was limiting their opportunities with only four shots by the Sagehens in the first 45 minutes. The Regals had seven shots in the first half, but the Sagehen defense along with DePalma stayed solid in their defensive third to keep the Regals off the board.
The Sagehens finally broke through in the first half in spectacular fashion as Marshall scored from a 40-yard free-kick that was placed perfectly in the top corner of the net to put the Sagehens up 1-0 just before halftime.
With the big score heading into the break, the Sagehens turned up their defensive efforts in the second half putting the burden on Cal Lutheran's attack to find an equalizer. Cal Lutheran had a few opportunities in the second half off two dangerous free-kicks and two corner chances, but the Sagehen defense wouldn't break as they held off the Regals and shut them out at home to solidify their place as the top team in the SCIAC.
Up Next: The Sagehens will next await their opponent in the upcoming NCAA Tournament with the selection show on Monday morning.
