The University of Redlands women's soccer team ended its regular season in impressive fashion with a 4-2 come-from-behind victory over Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) foe, Whittier College on senior day on Saturday afternoon.
Although the Bulldogs controlled possession to start the game, the Poets went up by a goal in the 15th minute of action. However, senior forward Alexa Groesser (Denver, CO) scored the equalizer after receiving a short cross from junior midfielder Eva Vlassopoulos (Portland, OR) in the 29th minute. The Maroon and Gray earned two more chances before the half from Vlassopoulos and senior defender Bria Bowton (Spokane, WA), but both shots went wide, sending the teams into the break knotted at 1-1.
Two minutes into the second stanza, Whittier gained the lead once again on a tough play that left the net open.
Nonetheless, Redlands capitalized on the Poets' competing down a player, by converting the next three goals. In the 57th minute, senior forward Gabby Hart (Burien, WA) drove the ball down the right flank and sent a pass back to junior forward Emily Falla (Woodinville, WA) in the box. Falla banged it home to tie the game at 2-apiece. Less than three minutes later, Bowton beat her defender and sent a well-placed cross in front of the mouth of the goal for Falla to put between the posts for her second goal of the game and the eventual game-winner.
In the 67th minute, senior forward Bryn Anderson (Tahoe City, CA) stole the ball at midfield and sent a through pass over the Poet defense for Vlassopoulos. Vlassopoulos then forced the Whitter goalkeeper out of the box, which led to an insurance goal on an empty net.
The Bulldogs' backline shut down the Poets' offense for the remainder of the game to cement the 4-2 victory in the regular-season finale.
The Maroon and Gray dominated possession and won the shot battle 25-4.
