Athenas Halted in Sixth Street Battle

Athenas Halted in Sixth Street Battle

CLAREMONT, Calif. – On Saturday night the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's soccer team made the short trip across the street to take on the No. 16 Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens on Pomona's campus. The Athenas fell by a 4-1 final, but battled in the second-half, outshooting the Sagehens 8-1 over the final 45 minutes. However, the opening half belonged to the Sagehens. The home team used a six-minute stretch in the middle of the first-half to tally three goals and build a 3-0 lead.

After the half, it was a different story. Despite each team scoring one goal in the second-half, the Athenas outshot the Sagehens 8-1 in the period and put four of their attempts on frame. One of those attempts found the back of the net. In the 51st minute, Rhiann Holman (CMC) netted an unassisted goal for her third score of the season.

A late goal from Pomona-Pitzer sealed the deal and gave the Sagehens the 4-1 victory.

Pomona-Pitzer put the pressure on the Athenas early. Shots in the eighth and 13th minute were both saved by Claire Hamson (CMC), but the Sagehens broke through with goals in the 19th, 21st, and 25th minutes to stake a 3-0 advantage. Hamson did notch saves in the 29th and 37th minutes to keep it a three-goal game at the break.

At the end of the half, Pomona-Pitzer held a 10-0 advantage in shots, but that would change in the second-half. On the first shot for either side in the second period, Rhiann Holman put through her third goal of the season in the 51st minute. For Holman, it was her second goal this season against a ranked team. Earlier this season, Holman scored against No. 3 University of Chicago on Sept. 1.

Despite the Athenas best efforts to close the gap, the game remained 3-1 for the next 30-plus minutes. During that span, CMS fired off four shots and forced the Sagehens' keeper to make a pair of saves in the 66th and 71st minutes off shots from Katrina Ostrom (CMC) and Sarah Malott (CMC) respectively.

The Sagehens scored a late goal in the 84th minute. The tally put the game out of reach and gave Pomona-Pitzer the 4-1 victory in the Sixth Street Rivalry Game.

CMS will be back home on Wednesday when they host Cal Lutheran at 5:00 p.m. on Pritzlaff Field.