Holman's Penalty Kick Holds Up as CMS Women's Soccer Earns Huge 1-0 Win over Cal Lutheran

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Senior Rhiann Holman scored on a penalty kick in the 31st minute and it held up the rest of the way as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's soccer team handed Cal Lutheran just its second loss of the season with a 1-0 win on Wednesday night.

The win enabled CMS to take an enormous step forward in its quest to return to the SCIAC Tournament since 2016, as the Athenas move to 9-3-3 overall and 5-3-2 in league play, jumping from fifth place into a tie for third with Chapman. Cal Lutheran slips to 8-2-3 overall and 6-2-2 in the SCIAC, leading CMS by one game, but the Athenas would have the tiebreaker if they ended up even in the final standings due to a win and a tie head-to-head.



CMS scored the game's only goal 30:45 into the contest after sophomore forward Elizabeth Ueland was fouled at the edge of the six-yard box chasing down a ball to the left side of the net. Holman stepped to the penalty spot, and hit a hard shot with pace into the side netting, giving CMS the 1-0 advantage. 

The lead held up the rest of the way, as sophomore goalie Athena Manthouli needed to make just one save to get the shutout, although the Athenas had to withstand some late pressure from the Regals in the box. The best chance came on a low 20-yard shot from Sonia Chen that eluded Manthouli's dive but rolled wide of the left post. 

CMS also had some solid chances in the second half, as senior forward Sarah Tocher took a pass from Holman on a counter and blasted a shot that was saved by goalie Alexa Soto over the bar. Holman also had two good chances in the second half but had a volley deflect off a Cal Lutheran defender over the line for a corner kick, and then hit a 20-yard rocket that sailed just over the crossbar.

CMS earned the shutout with a defense that was missing two of its normal starters at outside back in juniors Ava Sherry and Katrina Ostrom, both out with injuries. Junior center back Grace Pratt and sophomore center back Gracyn Buenconsejo helped control the middle, and first-year Taylor Arakaki and sophomore Samantha Ree handled the outside back positions, holding a Cal Lutheran team with 26 goals this season off the scoreboard. 

The Athenas will be back in action on Saturday for their final regular season home contest, meeting Caltech at 7 p.m. It will also be Senior Day for the five members of the Class of 2020, including Holman, Tocher, Kira Favakeh, Gabby Clouse and Hayden Craig.