Tigers Fall in Home Opener
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Sept. 26, 2007) – For the first time of the 2007 season the Occidental Tigers jumped into Taylor Pool for a competition. The results on this day were not what the fans who packed bleachers had hoped for as the Eagles out scored the Tigers 19-15 despite a late Oxy comeback.
At the halftime break Concordia, an NAIA school from Irvine, led a mere goal as the scoreboard read 5-4. Moments into the third period Oxy tied things up with a goal by junior attacker Jake Santelli. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Concordia responded with a 5-1 run, taking a lead they would not relinquish for the remainder of regulation.
The third period proved decisive as the Eagles found the back of the net eight times during the eight minute time frame. Oxy scored just twice, leaving them at a disadvantage entering the final period of play.
Occidental’s offense heated up in the final 2:08 as they scored five times, but it was too little too late.
The Oxy junior duo of Cameron Brahmst and Andrew Valdes contributed four goals apiece while fellow junior John Wensman tallied three. Valdes, Santelli and Abiel Garcia each had a pair of steals and assists in the contest. Sean Inoue, a junior utility player, scored twice and also accounted for two assists.
Max Kelley grabbed five loose balls in front of the cage to lead the Oxy squad in steals. Freshman Austen Oliver totaled a team leading three drawn penalties and Valdes recorded the only Tigers’ field block of the game.
Kelley played three quarters in front of the goal and blocked six shots. Blair Bergstiensson got the call for the fourth quarter and blocked one Concordia attempt.
If you took Concordia’s 2M player Jure Belamaric out of the equation, things may have ended differently. The Croatian born junior transfer netted 12 goals in 18 attempts for the Eagles.
Occidental drops below .500 as they now hold a 4-5 overall record.
The Tigers will have over a week to prepare for the Claremont Convergence Tournament that will take place Friday and Saturday October 5-6. Oxy will open the tournament with games against Chapman (9:00 a.m.) and Iona College (2:20 p.m.) at Pomona-Pitzer on Friday followed by games against Pepperdine (10:40 a.m.) and Washington & Jefferson (6:40 p.m.) at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday.
