Megan Tharp
Megan Tharp

Women's soccer suffers first home loss of the year

ORANGE, Calif. - The Chapman University women's soccer team is happy to be done with that part of its schedule. Following a six-game winning streak to open the season, the Panthers ran into a pair of brick walls in the past week. The second of which came in the form of visiting Westmont College, which defeated Chapman 3-0 at Wilson Field on Wednesday evening. It was the Panthers' second straight 3-0 loss at the hands of an NAIA opponent.

Chapman (6-2) also lost at home for the first time this season, snapping a six-game home unbeaten streak during which it had gone 5-0-1 since October 2008.

Westmont (2-2-1) didn't score its first goal until the final three minutes of the first half, snapping a scoreless tie when Warriors' Brittany Jewett came off the bench and beat Chapman GK Chloe Canta with what proved to be the game-winner.

Leading 1-0 at halftime, it was all Westmont in the second half. The Warriors out-shot Chapman 15-4 in the second half and scored twice more on goals by Britney Scannell and Aolani Rueff. The Panthers were out-shot 24-10 in the game.

Freshman GK Rissa Andersen played the entire second half and made five saves for Chapman (6-2). The Panthers made eight saves in all with Canta also collecting three in the first half. Chapman had allowed just two goals in its first six games before facing Vanguard (three goals) last Friday and Westmont on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Chapman's offense has stalled suffering back-to-back shutouts after averaging over 1.8 goals per game during the six-game winning streak. Westmont GK Roxanne Love made two saves and earned the shutout for the Warriors.

Box Score: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/wsoc/2009-10/stats/west-cu.htm