Athenas Concede Two in Loss to Tigers

­­CLAREMONT, Calif. – After a gritty contest between two evenly matched sides, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's soccer team (2-5-1, 1-3-1) fell 2-0 to the Occidental Tigers (3-3-1, 1-3-1) on Wednesday night. The Athenas and Tigers were deadlocked in the first half, taking roughly the same amount of shots (7 to 6), but Occidental ultimately pulled through with two second-half goals to seal the game. Megan Maher scored the opening goal for the Tigers in the 49th minute and Dylan Wensley followed in the 88th minute to seal the match. 

The Tigers barely outshot the Athenas 17 to 16 as Rhiann Holman (CMC) led the Athenas with the most attempt at six. Claire Hamson (CMC) had a busy night at goal, recording a career-high 10 saves during the match. 

Neither teams were able to establish their rhythm on offense at the start of the first half as both sides were at a stalemate in the midfield. The Athenas saw their first quality attempt at goal during the 21st minute when Holman delivered a cross into the Tigers' box to Megan Lo (CMC). Lo attempted to volley in the cross, but her shot sailed just high over the post. In the 39th minute, Nicole Castro of Occidental took a curling shot outside the Athenas' box, but Hamson cleverly read the ball and saved it at ease. 

After a scoreless first half, the Tigers wasted little time to establish their presence. In the 49th minute, Erin Iacullo broke free and laid a quick shot in the box. Hamson instinctively dove to deflect the shot, but Megan Maher pounced on the deflection and tapped it into the net for the first goal of the night. 

The Athenas pressed for an equalizer and almost found it in the 56th minute when Sarah Tocher (CMC) whipped a cross from the right wing to the box. Rhiann Holman managed to connect on a header, but her attempt sailed straight to the keeper's gloves. A minute later, Lo launched a cross from the left wing to Holman, but Holman saw déjà vu as her header ended up in the keeper's hands again. 

Hamson did her best to keep the Athenas in the game with several spectacular saves during the second half. In the 78th minute, Meredith Cook found space in the Athenas' box for a quick shot, but Hamson dove to her right to block the shot before the defense cleared the ball away. 

The Tigers managed to put the game away in the 88th minute when Nicole Castro threaded a through pass from the center of the field to the racing Dylan Wensley. Wensley found herself in a one-on-one situation against Hamson and slipped the shot past her and into the net to make it 2-0. 

CMS women's soccer will head to Whittier College on Saturday, September 30 to face the Poets at 11 a.m. 

Box Score