Men's soccer wins fifth in a row

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University men's soccer team is getting hot at the right time. The Panthers (11-5-3, 10-4-1 SCIAC) won their fifth straight match with a 2-1 victory over Whittier on Monday. Chapman remains in second place heading into the final match of the regular season.

The final score doesn't tell the whole story as Chapman dominated the majority of the match, firing 25 shots and putting 11 on target. With Chapman peppering the Whittier keeper with shots, the Poets (5-10-2, 4-9-2 SCIAC) managed just four shots.

Sophomore Nico Arellanes scored just 11 minutes after dribbling into the box and finding the net off a deflection. In the 60th minute, senior Gino Belassen put the Panthers up 2-0 with his third goal of the year. Fellow senior Boston Kimmel used some fancy footwork to dribble around the defense and find Belassen open at the top of the penalty area.

With Whittier desperately pushing forward in the 64th minute, Dylan Fortin absorbed a high pass, spun and fired to the lower right corner for the Poets lone goal. It was also the only shot the Poets put on frame.

With the win, Chapman moved all alone into second place for the time as La Verne, who was previously tied with Chapman, doesn't play until Wednesday. Chapman can clinch the No. 2 seed in the SCIAC Tournament with a win on Saturday, regardless of La Verne's and Occidental's outcomes this week. The Panthers celebrate Senior Day on Saturday with a 7 p.m. match against Pomona-Pitzer on Wilson Field.

by Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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