Poets Playoff Bound
Photos by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – SCIAC Post Season play is upon us and Whittier College has two teams who have made the post season tournament including men's soccer and women's volleyball.
Men's Soccer
The Purple and Gold who completed their regular season off in impressive fashion with 4-0 victories over Occidental College and Pomona-Pitzer were able to obtain the No. 3 overall seed that pits them against the Stags of Claremont-M-S who is seeded No. 2.
This evening the Poets travel to CMS as they take on the Stags beginning at 7pm. The series is tied at one a piece during regular season play but the Poets won the last contest 2-0.
This marks the third straight year the men's soccer team has made playoffs and the second straight year the Poets are taking on the Stags. Last year in playoffs the Poets were the No. 3 overall seed and faced Claremont-M-S but the Stags came out the victors as they won in overtime 1-0 eventually going on to win the SCIAC Championship and partaking in the NCAA Tournament.
In 2009, the Poets came into the SCIAC Tournament seeded No. 2 overall and hosted the Bulldogs of the University of Redlands, but also fell 1-0 in OT.
Coach Harwell and his coaching staff being previous players during both of these losses in the SCIAC Playoffs look to get revenge this evening.
SCIAC Playoffs
No. 1 Redlands vs. No. 4 Pomona-Pitzer
No. 2 Claremont-M-S vs. No. 3 Whittier
Volleyball
Women's volleyball for the first time in Whittier College history has made the SCIAC Playoffs finishing the regular season with an overall record of 13-18 overall and 8-6 in SCIAC play. This marks the best record the Poets have had since 1999 when the volleyball team finished 15-13.
Whittier clinched the No. 4 overall seed and will take on the Regals of Cal Lutheran University tomorrow, Thursday, November 3 beginning at 7:30pm.
The lady Poets achieved major milestones this season not only making SCIAC Playoffs for the first time and having the second best record in Whittier history but they also swept the University of Redlands and the University of La Verne for the first time in the program's history.
Making playoffs wasn't easy though as the Poets had to win two out of their final three matches to clinch the No. 4 seed. They lost to Claremont-M-S in four games but rebounded back to sweep La Verne in three and as of last night the California Institute of Technology to gain the playoff berth.
On the season Cal Lutheran holds a 2-0 advantage over the Poets but Whittier played them tough pushing them to five games in the first match-up and then losing in a tight three set match the second time around.
Coach Oliver has her team well rested and prepared to get the upset and looks to continue building off one of the most successful seasons in Whittier history.
SCIAC Playoffs
No. 1 Cal Lutheran vs. No. 4 Whittier
No. 2 Claremont-M-S vs. No. 3 Occidental
