Tigers Split at Claremont Convergence Tournament

CLAREMONT, Calif. (March 15, 2009) – This weekend at the Claremont-Convergence Tournament the Tigers saw some tough competition, coming away with a pair of victories as they split 2-2 on the weekend.

In the tournament opening day Oxy pounded its opponents winning by scores of 14-1 and 13-1 over Division III Washington & Jefferson and NAIA Azusa Pacific, respectively. Senior captain Kelly Curtain led the offensive in game one of the weekend with four goals, followed by a hat-trick performance from sophomore Julie Monday. In the afternoon freshman Tessa Bailey-Findley and sophomore Karie Nickle scored three goals apiece to pace the Tigers.

Sunday was a different story as Occidental dropped a close 9-8 match to NAIA Concordia University before losing to the Division I No. 5 California Bears 14-5.

Nickle and Monday again were the leading scorers on Sunday in the first game of the day with a pair of goals each. Nickle also added three steals and Curtain drew three ejections for Oxy in the loss.

Although the Bears defeated the Tigers, Occidental hung tough, trailing just 5-2 at the break. Nickle was responsible for more than half of the Tigers’ offense in the game, with a hat-trick, to cap of the weekend with nine goals, scoring in each of the four games.

The senior pair of Ashley Notti and Haley Rosehill each recorded a field block on Sunday as Notti also drew a team-high six ejections against Cal.

Nationally ranked No. 2 Occidental is now 7-8 overall entering the final week of non-conference action before opening up play in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.