Photo by Shira Oneal-Abend

Story by Nathaniel Rodriguez, Sports Information Student Assistant

LA VERNE, CA — The University of La Verne Leopards women's soccer team allowed two first half goals and were limited to one lone shot in a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the first place California Lutheran University Regals.

In search of their season's first win at Ortmayer Stadium, the Leopards hosted a Regals team boasting an undefeated SCIAC record. The Leopards kicked off the match and looked to come out hot when Alison Flores recovered a deflection and struck a shot near the top of the penalty box. Regals' senior goalkeeper Gabby Flores was able to track the shot into her hands for her only save of the night. 

Despite the loss, freshman goalkeeper McKenzie Maggiore collected four saves throughout the match. She ranks third in SCIAC with 44 saves, but the Regals offense was too much for the entire Leopards team to contain. A couple of Cal Lutheran seniors started the scoring Wednesday night after forward Danielle Vis led a pass beautifully into the top of the penalty box for midfielder Sonia Chan to strike clean past a diving Maggiore.

Junior forward Isabella Veljacic displayed her high soccer IQ on the play. Vis managed to connect with Chan for the assist, but Veljacic had an opportunity to stop the pass at her feet and take her own shot at goal. Instead, the SCIAC's top goal-scorer hesitated to allow the pass to lead her teammate Chan into an 11th minute open shot to take a 1-0 lead. 

In the 43rd minute, junior forward Mandy Crawford saw her season's 29th shot cross the goal line and into the net as the Regals padded their lead over La Verne, 2-0. Crawford managed to recover the loose ball from a shot Maggiore saved in front of the goal and subsequently tapped one by the hustling goalkeeper for the score. Neither team was able to put one across in the second half of the match. 

The Leopards fall to 1-9 overall and 1-4 in SCIAC play, meanwhile, the Regals will maintain their spot atop the conference standings at 8-3-2 overall and 5-0-1 in SCIAC. The Leopards will search for their first win at Ortmayer Stadium again on Saturday night against the Redlands Bulldogs.