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Loss to Oxy costs ULV playoff spot

Junior midfielder Katie Zwissler (#16) tries to steal the ball from senior defender Emily Doerner (#19) of Pomona-Pitzer during last Tuesday's match. Zwissler was assisted by sophomore defenders Robin Haaker (#9) and Cara Forrest (#15). The Leopards pounced the Sagehens in a brutal 3-0 conference victory, their last home game of the season. / photo by Michelle Zimmerman
Junior midfielder Katie Zwissler (#16) tries to steal the ball from senior defender Emily Doerner (#19) of Pomona-Pitzer during last Tuesday’s match. Zwissler was assisted by sophomore defenders Robin Haaker (#9) and Cara Forrest (#15). The Leopards pounced the Sagehens in a brutal 3-0 conference victory, their last home game of the season. / photo by Michelle Zimmerman

by Jason Cooper
Staff Writer

A roller-coaster season ended in disappointment for the women’s soccer team as they were defeated by the Occidental Tigers 2-0 last Friday.

The Leopards traveled to Occidental to play the last place Tigers looking for a win and not knowing that such a result could mean a playoff berth.

“We didn’t know we still had a chance,” said junior Rachel Lieberman.

La Verne came out in the first half playing like a team that was playoff bound. The majority of the 14 shots on goal came during the first half and the Leopards were very scarcely seen on their side of the field.

“They have no skills and they foul a lot,” said Lieberman.

The dirty play of the Tigers was evident. Erin Aitchison and Coach J. Bergin from Occidental both received yellow cards and Tiffany Coleman was forced to leave the game after receiving a red card.

The play of Occidental hurt La Verne not only physically but mentally as it began to fight a physical battle rather than a skilled one.

“They brought us down to their level,” said Lieberman.

The Tigers took advantage of the mentally weak Leopards taking four shots in the second half, two of which found the back of the net. It was all Occidental needed to hold off La Verne and take the victory.

“We did not want to go out like this,” said Lieberman. “It was a slap in the face.”

The loss took the Leopards record to 7-5 in SCIAC, resulting in a third place finish and 9-11 overall record.

“We were extremely unlucky,” said freshman Suzie Sateri. “We should have won the game with ease. I felt like crap.”

The loss was part of a season that was filled with ups and a lot of downs.

“We went through a lot,” said Lieberman. “We had the potential to finish first. There was a lot of injuries and rough times but we kept our heads high through it all.”

Jason Cooper, Staff Photographer
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