Ovenell Honored for Senior Day, Contributes on Both Ends in 3-0 Win over La Verne

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Laurel Ovenell was honored for Senior Day prior to the game as the lone senior on the CMS women's soccer team, and then contributed an assist on offense and cleared a shot off the line on defense to help the Athenas to a 3-0 win over La Verne on Saturday at Pritzlaff Field.

The win increased the CMS unbeaten streak to six games (5-0-1), all of which have been shutouts. Ovenell's clearance, which was a rebound attempt after goalkeeper Sadie Brown made a save in tight quarters on a header with CMS leading 1-0 early in the second half, helped extend the shutout streak to 623 minutes. CMS is now 6-5-2 overall and 5-3-1 in SCIAC play, now standing in a solid third place after an 0-3 start, while La Verne falls to 4-6-4 overall and 2-4-3 in SCIAC. 

Tori Holden, Ava Schmitt and Cate Lewison had the goals for the Athenas, with Lewison scoring in her first action of the season after missing the first 12 games. Lewison was the SCIAC Newcomer of the Year last year in both women's soccer and women's lacrosse, but had yet to play this year due to injury.

Holden got the Athenas on the board in the seventh minute when she scored on a header with her back to goal off a long free kick from Emma Fogg. The ball popped up into the air with spin on it, and the spin pulled the ball back towards the goal, where a La Verne defender desperately tried to clear it off the line, but it found its away across for a 1-0 CMS lead. 

The Athenas had to withstand some La Verne pressure to maintain the 1-0 lead, with none more than Ovenell's clearance, which came off a similar free kick to the Holden Goal. Brown came off her line to smother a header, and the ball came free to Carys Anderson, who had just checked in for the first time. From a sharp angle, Anderson was able to put a shot on net, but Ovenell slid back to cover, and was able to clear it away and preserve the 1-0 lead. 

With 13 minutes left, Ovenell found Schmitt outside the top of the penalty area with a through ball and Schmitt was able to make a quick turn to the right and blast a line drive in from 25 yards out to double the lead and enable the Athenas to breathe a little easy after holding a one-goal lead for 70 minutes. Lewison then tacked on a third goal when she headed in a long, looping cross from Riley Zitar, putting the ball just inside the right post for a goal in her first action of the 2023 campaign. 

CMS finished with a narrow 9-8 edge in shot attempts, while La Verne held a 7-5 edge in corners. Sadie Brown had one save, while Andra Marinescu played the final five minutes to share in the shutout. 

CMS will have a week off before returning to action with a road game at Chapman next Saturday at 11 a.m.