THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Six Cal Lutheran seniors played the final home game of their collegiate careers on Wednesday afternoon at the Samuelson Aquatics Center. The graduating team members combined for six goals during an 11-5 conference victory over Whittier.
Box Score: CLU 11, WC 5 - F
Seniors Mieke Howell, Christina Messer, Kelsey Bergemann, Sarah Mock, Tiffany Ly and Claire Whitten were recognized prior to the game adding extra incentive for a victory. Bergemann wanted a victory not only for the seniors, but to get back in the win column gaining momentum in a tightly contested battle for the conference title.
Cal Lutheran would never trail in its 2012 home finale after senior Sarah Mock found fellow senior Kelsey Bergemann just 57 seconds into the game. Later in the first and 19 seconds after the Poets tied the game, CLU senior Christina Messer put the Regals back on top for good.
The Regals exploded for five second quarter scores and broke open a 1-1 tie by scoring six unanswered goals. Five different players contributed to the scoring run led by senior Mieke Howell with a pair of goals.
All seven first half goals were at even strength, while the lone Poets goal scored by Jae Crabtree was a quick strike following a Regals exclusion. In total Whittier earned a 13-5 advantage in drawn ejections and used those opportunities to spark its comeback effort.
A comfortable six-goal lead was squeezed to two after four different Poets scored within the opening 5:33 of the second half. A pair of player-advantage scores, a converted penalty shot, and a final even strength goal from Katrina Thoreson created a 7-5 score.
The Regals stopped the scoring run when Bergemann completed her hat trick on a counterattack goal with 2:30 left in the period. After the Poets scored four times in less than six minutes their offense was shut out over the final 11-plus minutes of regulation.
CLU goalkeeper Kylee Tomasetti made 10 saves in the victory and now has 38 stops in five conference starts this season. She is holding SCIAC opponents to under seven goals per game in league play. Counterpart Mattie Winkler made nine stops in goal for Whittier including four first quarter saves.
Cal Lutheran's Kehau Ai scored a pair of second half 6-on-5 goals and finished tied with Bergemann scoring a game-high three goals. Senior Claire Whitten led all players with three assists in the win.
Cal Lutheran (16-9, 4-2 SCIAC) will close out its regular season on Saturday, April 21, at Redlands (17-14, 5-1 SCIAC).
