The women's Soccer team sprinted to a magnificent and appropriate conclusion to their excellent 2000 season. The team defeated La Verne last Friday, effacing historical superstition and precedence to establish a new and more robust tradition of women's soccer at Pomona-Pitzer.

La Verne was the only team that the Sagehens did not beat last year, and a team that they had not defeated in over two years. Consequently, the symbolic value of such an important victory redefined expectations surrounding Sagehen soccer. In addition, the women had not had a winning season since 1995, and by beating La Verne, the Sagehens ended with a 7-5 record in SCIAC, and a 10-8-1 record overall, stealing third place in SCIAC from rival CMS. All this, from a young team with a new coach, a goalie who had never played in the cage before, and the absence of one of the team's star strikers. Contemplating the adversity that the women faced at the beginning of this year, the season becomes a true testament to their strength, tenacity, and will to succeed. The La Verne game proved to be one of the most exciting and invigorating matches of the entire season, highlighting many of the Sagehens developing strengths that led to their outstanding performance.

It was a chilly day. The women warmed up to pop music from a small stereo on the field. La Verne ran drills with a cheerful nonchalance, that someone may have interpreted as overconfidence. They had history on their side. The Sagehens drilled with their usual composure. It was obvious that they knew the importance of this game, but it did not seem to cloud their focus with blinding rage or with overzealous thoughts of revenge.

It did not take long on this cold day for the juggernaut Sagehen offense to open upon the unsuspecting Leopards. Following up on a nice shot by Lauren Salvail '03, midfielder Jo Kirsch '02 set the pace with a beautiful goal in the first five minutes of play. La Verne was wholly unprepared for this development, and immediately the game appeared to be played entirely by the Sagehens.

The women continued toying with La Verne's exasperated goalkeeper. Salvail proved once again that she must have one of the most powerful shots in the league, when she scored on a stunning kick from outside the box. The most enjoyable goal, from a spectator's standpoint, came from Nicole Cerra PI '02, who not only slid past her defender, but dribbled around the goal keeper too, in order to knock in the ball with eight minutes left to play in the first half.

Down by three goals at the start of the second half, a penitent and humbled La Verne stole the momentum of the game, spreading anxiety through the Sagehen stands. Within the first fifteen minutes, La Verne scored twice, eroding Pomona-Pitzer's mountainous three-goal lead, to a precarious precipice of one goal.

With twenty-three minutes to play, a La Verne fast break drained the air from the stands like an "exhausted receiver." For a moment, my sense of fatalism surged inside me, and I dared only to peer through my trembling fingers at what I assumed to be the unfolding demise of the Sagehen lead. But Ashley Thompson '03, a keeper who had never played before this season, miraculously blocked the shot. However, the Sagehens were not out of trouble yet, as the ball had been deflected to the other side and to another La Verne striker. Fortunately, Thompson's save had given Oriana Campanelli '04 enough time to sprint back, and she was in front of the ball before La Verne could shoot again. The entire play was tortuously drawn out in its conclusion, but the Sagehens finally cleared the ball.

The Sagehens quickly rallied. Though the rest of the game was scoreless, the Sagehens repeatedly composed beautiful plays, which, through some quirk of fate, did not succeed. Indeed, the greatest tragedy of the second half was that Sarah Thalmann '01 did not score. Through some divine intervention, La Verne's keeper blocked two of the most perfect shots to grace soccer, anywhere. One was a majestic lob from far outside that coasted into exactly the upper left hand corner of the goal, only to be barely lifted high by the keeper's reaching fingers. In addition to Thalmann, both Jessica Ichien PI '03 and Torrey Shelton '02 had amazing shots on goal. In the end, after an anxious second half, the Sagehens carried the day with a 3-2 victory.

The La Verne game evinced the power of the Sagehen offense, which did not fully realize its potential until midway through the season. The women racked up a total of 39 goals, more than they had scored since their 1987 season, and only one goal behind second-place Redlands. The Sagehens averaged just over two goals a game. Though forward Thalmann graduates this year, the return of Susan Houge '02, who has been out due to mono, will revitalize the team's strikers.

Perhaps more impressive than the offense, is the performance of the team's young defense, which include a first time sweeper and goalkeeper. They allowed only 36 goals the entire season, fewer than last season and with one more game played. With the experience and growth of this season, this defense should emerge a veritable wall, despite the loss of the amazing Sharon Silveira '01.

Taylor Matheson '02 summarized her feelings regarding the season: "I feel like it was a good season. We had a better season than we have had in several years, we beat La Verne, and we did it with a new coach. We are graduating two of our top players, but we have a solid core, and a lot of potential."

Indeed, Coach Tiffany Ebert seems to be exactly the person whom Pomona-Pitzer needed to breathe new life into the Women's Soccer program. She has produced a team centered on the kind of profound unity rarely seen on the field. As Houge simply stated, "all my teammates kick ass."