CLAREMONT, Calif. — Ari Dowell scored her first collegiate goal but the University of La Verne women's soccer team faltered in the second half in a 3-1 loss to Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday at Pomona-Pitzer.

The loss drops La Verne 6-8-2 overall in the season and 4-7-1 in the SCIAC. The Leopards can still get in the SCIAC Postseason Tournament, but will need a lot of help in addition to winning the last two games. The Sagehens improve to 9-7-0 and 7-5-0.

Pomona-Pitzer scored first in the 23^rd minute, but Dowell provided an answer in the 31^st minute off an assist from Alexa Smith.

The Sagehens rushed La Verne early, getting off 11 shots before Dowell's goal, but the Leopards settled down after the equalizer and took a 1-1 tie into the break.

However, the Sagehens made adjustments of their own and blitzed the Leopards with six shots in the first 10 minutes of the second half, eventually earning a penalty kick for a handled ball in the box in the 56^th minute. La Verne goalkeeper Jasmine Valadez guessed right as kick taker Katie Tao went left but could not quite reach the shot.

Tao then assisted Pomona-Pitzer's insurance goal in the 66^th minute as Nicola Ying Fry received a cross and converted it into upper left corner, giving the Sagehens a 3-1 lead.

Pomona-Pitzer controlled the run of play and outshot La Verne, 28-6, for the game and earned nine corner kicks.

The Leopards return to action at Redlands on Wednesday in a must-win game. Kickoff is 7 p.m.