Regals best Athenas 2-1 and advance to SCIAC final

CLAREMONT, Calif. – In a highly anticipated matchup in the SCIAC Postseason Tournament Semi-final between the No. 2 seed Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and No. 3 seed Cal Lutheran, the Regals earned the 2-1 win and will advance. Cal Lutheran will host No. 4 seed Pomona-Pitzer in the tournament final on Saturday, Nov. 7. The Sagehens beat No. 1 seed Redlands 1-0 tonight in the other semi-final game.

The first scoring of the game came in a sudden flurry of activity. First, Nikole Prelooker wove through the CMS defense and beat keeper Kelly McConnell (CMC), scoring in the lower right corner. Seconds after kickoff for the Athenas, CMS was awarded a free kick from about 25 yards out. Darrah Shields (CMC) took the kick and went straight for the goal, converting for CMS and tying the game. Those goals happened in the 23^rd and 24^th minutes of the first half.

Cal Lutheran led with seven shots in the first period with all but one on goal, keeping McConnell busy in the net. Raquel Weckhurst topped all players with five shots during the course of the game.

At halftime, the match was still knotted up at 1-1.

The Regals struck again shortly after the start of the second half. This time, the SCIAC's leading scorer, Weckhurst punched it in, just clipping the bottom of the crossbar and bouncing in the net.

From then on, the Athenas seemed controlled the majority of the second half including five corner kick opportunities. In the 57^th minute, Shields sent a close range shot directly into CLU's keeper, Coral Hasley, for a dramatic and important save.

The game would wrap up with the Regals on top 2-1. CMS finishes 10-7-4 overall on the season and CLU improves to 9-8-2. Cal Lutheran advances to the final and will host Pomona-Pitzer at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7.

Box Score

By Emily Nordhoff
Sports Information Director

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