Critical win for Panthers keeps hopes alive in SCIAC push

ORANGE, Calif. –  Fighting for its postseason life, the Chapman University women's soccer team earned a badly-needed 3-1 victory over visiting University of La Verne on Wednesday evening at Wilson Field. The Panthers continued their second-half surge toward one of four SCIAC tournament berths with their fifth win in their past six matches, including a 4-1 record against conference rivals.

Chapman (11-5 overall, 6-5 SCIAC) got on the scoreboard first and never looked back scoring on a penalty kick in the 28th minute. Sophomore forward Rebeccah Bortz drew a foul in the goalie box to earn the PK and junior M Val Sobol knocked it in for her team-leading seventh goal of the year.

Bortz and the Panthers weren't done however as the sophomore redirected a hard pass from sophomore F Jordan Royer toward the net and found the back of the goal in the 41st minute to give Chapman a 2-0 lead. It was Bortz's seventh goal of the year as well, tying her with Sobol for the team lead.

Eighty nine seconds later, La Verne (4-10 overall, 1-10 SCIAC) struck for its first and only goal of the game as junior F Marisella Macias snuck one past Chapman sophomore GK Marissa Fehrman to cut the Panthers' lead to one going into halftime.

The second half was all Chapman as the Panthers out-shot La Verne 12-1 over the final 45 minutes. Freshman M Celina Solomon scored her first career goal in the 77th minute to give Chapman a little insurance with a 3-1 lead and it held.

Fehrman made two saves and earned the win to improve to 11-4 this season. La Verne senior GK Gloria Escalante made seven saves in goal but fell to 0-2.

Chapman is currently clinging to the fourth and final place in the SCIAC postseason tournament if it can hold on over its final three conference matches of the year. The Panthers are tied with Pomona-Pitzer in the loss column with five losses each. Two of Chapman's final three SCIAC matches come against the top teams in the standings – 1. Cal Lutheran (10-0) and 2. Claremont (7-3).

The Panthers travel to Claremont on Saturday at 11 a.m. and will host Mills College in a non-conference match on Sunday at 11 a.m.

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/wsoc/2012-13/boxscores/20121017_vaos.xml

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

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