Go WEST young man (and NORTH)

[Gray Fox]

Wild opening night in the SCIAC. With the only win coming from Chapman on a 90th minute score against Caltech, I think it's fair to say that the conference is wide open this year.

CMS 1 - Whittier 1

Whittier scored first in the 32nd minute and almost held on the win, but CMS finally found the equalizer on a penalty kick in the 86th minute.  A bad sign for CMS is that 7 of their players played the full 90 and they only used 3 subs.  I don't know if they have tons of injuries or the coach simply doesn't trust his team, but neither is a recipe for success.

Occidental 3 - La Verne 3

Oxy was comfortably up 2-0 at the half and simply fell apart during an 8 minute stretch of the second half, allowing La Verne goals in the 73rd, 79th, and 81st minutes, before Occidental found the equalizing goal on a corner kick in the 90th minute.

"I've always said that any result against CMS is a good result."

- Richard Milhous Nixon, Whittier '34

I don't think CMS existed when Nixon was at Whittier.

[Kuiper]

Wild opening night in the SCIAC. With the only win coming from Chapman on a 90th minute score against Caltech, I think it's fair to say that the conference is wide open this year.

CMS 1 - Whittier 1

Whittier scored first in the 32nd minute and almost held on the win, but CMS finally found the equalizer on a penalty kick in the 86th minute.  A bad sign for CMS is that 7 of their players played the full 90 and they only used 3 subs.  I don't know if they have tons of injuries or the coach simply doesn't trust his team, but neither is a recipe for success.

Occidental 3 - La Verne 3

Oxy was comfortably up 2-0 at the half and simply fell apart during an 8 minute stretch of the second half, allowing La Verne goals in the 73rd, 79th, and 81st minutes, before Occidental found the equalizing goal on a corner kick in the 90th minute.

"I've always said that any result against CMS is a good result."

- Richard Milhous Nixon, Whittier '34

I don't think CMS existed when Nixon was at Whittier.

Claremont McKenna College was founded in 1946, although the Claremont Consortium and Claremont Graduate University were founded in 1925, and Scripps (the women's college that became the "S" in CMS in 1976) was founded in 1926. 

Nixon would have probably said it about Pomona, Occidental, or Redlands, all founding members of the SCIAC along with Whittier and Throop Tech (now Caltech).

[Kuiper]

Region X action on Thursday:

Redlands 3 - UC Santa Cruz 1

UCSC came in 4-1 and Redlands was 1-3-1, but you wouldn't know it by this game, except towards the end when Santa Cruz started to wake up.  It suggests the wins against NWC teams (which account for three of UCSC's wins) are akin to empty calories this year.  Redlands finally got Anders Beckton going with a goal in the 6th minute and was up 2-0 at halftime after Zach Damanyan scored in the 24th minute.  An early goal in the 2nd half in the 57th minute put the game out of reach, although Redlands probably went into a shell too early and gave up one goal and withstood some additional close calls toward the end of the game.

Mary Hardin-Baylor 3 - Concordia TX 1

Same score as the Redlands-UCSC game and similar game progression.  UMHB was up 2-0 early in the second half and appeared to have the game in hand.  Concordia then found the net in the 88th off a free kick and UMHB stormed back a little over a minute later to regain the two goal advantage.  Concordia plays a very clean possession game, but was perhaps a bit too preoccupied with possession and didn't spend enough time going forward and probing the Cru defense.  It's pretty to see only 5 fouls called the whole game, two of which resulted in goals, and 4 cards handed out.

Trinity 2 - Hardin-Simmons 0

Trinity moves to 6-0 after a frustrating first half where they went scoreless despite out-shooting H-S 11-1, before blowing the game open early in the second half with two goals a little over a minute apart, one on a busted free kick that Trinity calmly played around the box before finding another opening and the second on a well-worked counter attack.  With Trinity playing Christopher Newport tomorrow night in Abilene, it played its bench liberally, including giving what I think are the first minutes of the year to defender Luke Mayfield, who is returning from injury and should be a welcome sight heading into conference play.

Southwestern 4 - LeTourneau 1

Southwestern keeps pace with Trinity, moving to 6-0-1 with a strong performance against winless LeTourneau on its first road game of the season.

McMurry 0 - Howard Payne 0

Missed opportunity for McMurry against winless Howard Payne.  After beating East Texas Baptist in a 4-3 goal fest last week, they couldn't find the net this game despite forcing the HP keeper into 7 saves.

[Kuiper]

Trinity 1 - Christopher Newport 1

Friday night lights in Abilene, Texas tonight.  Christopher Newport scores 43 seconds into its game against Trinity.  I think this is the first time Trinity has been behind all season.  Trinity responds in the 9th minute to tie it up

UPDATE:  CNU 2 - Trinity 1

CNU goes back on top in the 15th minute. This game is a little bonkers, but if you're going to beat Trinity, a high press is the way to do it even though it can lead to goals for both sides


UPDATE: CNU 3 - Trinity 2 (84th minute)

CNU picked up where they left off on the second half, scoring a third in the 53rd minute.  While I would normally not count Trinity out with its offense, they had a big hill to climb as they also went down a man after Max Salinas got a red in the 67th minute.  Nevertheless, Trinity found a goal in the 84th off a corner kick, which makes the last 6 minutes interesting

FINAL:  CNU 3 - Trinity 2

Trinity had a chance at the very end on a long throw-in with a ball popcorning around in the box, but couldn't get the score in this neutral site contest.  Credit to CNU for a good game plan and the players who could execute it, as well as to Trinity for battling back despite being down a man.

Trinity goes to 6-1 and CNU gets a big victory to go to 5-0-2.  I expect the latter will rise in next week's standings as long as it doesn't suffer a letdown against Hardin-Simmons with the quick turnaround playing tomorrow (an issue that might have hurt Trinity in this game since they played Hardin-Simmons last night).

[Kuiper]

Amazingly, that was Trinity's first regular season loss since Oct 20, 2023, when it lost to Colorado College 3-2 in Colorado Springs.  A regular season unbeaten streak of 26 games.

Trinity hasn't lost a regular season game at home since Nov. 3, 2019 against Austin College

[Freddyfud]

Trinity 1 - Christopher Newport 1

Friday night lights in Abilene, Texas tonight.  Christopher Newport scores 43 seconds into its game against Trinity.  I think this is the first time Trinity has been behind all season.  Trinity responds in the 9th minute to tie it up

UPDATE:  CNU 2 - Trinity 1

CNU goes back on top in the 15th minute. This game is a little bonkers, but if you're going to beat Trinity, a high press is the way to do it even though it can lead to goals for both sides


UPDATE: CNU 3 - Trinity 2 (84th minute)

CNU picked up where they left off on the second half, scoring a third in the 53rd minute.  While I would normally not count Trinity out with its offense, they had a big hill to climb as they also went down a man after Max Salinas got a red in the 67th minute.  Nevertheless, Trinity found a goal in the 84th off a corner kick, which makes the last 6 minutes interesting

FINAL:  CNU 3 - Trinity 2

Trinity had a chance at the very end on a long throw-in with a ball popcorning around in the box, but couldn't get the score in this neutral site contest.  Credit to CNU for a good game plan and the players who could execute it, as well as to Trinity for battling back despite being down a man.

Trinity goes to 6-1 and CNU gets a big victory to go to 5-0-2.  I expect the latter will rise in next week's standings as long as it doesn't suffer a letdown against Hardin-Simmons with the quick turnaround playing tomorrow (an issue that might have hurt Trinity in this game since they played Hardin-Simmons last night).

In my quest to search for an out and out top team I tuned into most of this contest.  The pitch was immaculate, and the play was entertaining.  After CNU's second goal it seemed they mostly had control of the game.  It also seemed Knutson was largely held in check while the CNU forward who had the brace was a threat.  Both teams played well in the middle of the field so maybe this was the difference?  The quest continues...   

[Kuiper]

Caltech 3 - Redlands 1

That's not a score most people in SoCal D3 circles expected to see in their lifetimes.  Ishaan Mantripragada and Etienne Casanova put this game to bed early with goals in the 8th and 10th minutes.  Redlands didn't get on the board until getting a PK in the 73rd and then conceded a third goal in the 84th while they were chasing the game.  CIT goes to 4-3 overall and 1-1 in the SCIAC, while Redlands falls to 2-4-1 and last place in the SCIAC.  This is not the way to usher Ralph Perez into retirement.

[Ron Boerger]

Christopher Newport 2, Hardin-Simmons 0

Unlike their win last night over Trinity, CNU peppered HSU with 22 shots, eight on goal, completing their successful Texas road trip with a relatively easy win.  Joe Summerfield and Colin Skwirut both scored unassisted goals for the Captains. 

[Kuiper]

Quartet of games reaching halftime or just past in Socal

HALF:  Pomona-Pitzer 1 - Occidental 0

P-P took the lead in the 30th minute, but this is no fluke.  Pomona-Pitzer is matching Oxy step for step.  An interesting stat is that P-P has 7 fouls to only 2 for Oxy.  That's a turnaround from how they used to play just a few years ago and perhaps a testament to P-P's new coach insisting on more physical play.

HALF:  Cal Lutheran 1 - CMS 1

CMS has been rotating quite a bit, whether because of injuries or form, but it still is laboring to find its footing.  It scored first in the 20th, but Cal Lu countered a few minutes later despite CMS outshooting the Kingsmen in the first half.

HALF:  UC Santa Cruz 0 - Whittier 0

A few weeks ago I questioned whether Pomona-Pitzer and Whittier were overrated in the USC regional rankings because they had been feasting on weaker teams while the SCIAC powers were trying to slay dragons back east.  Maybe I spoke too soon.  The game is level, but UCSC didn't even get off a shot in the first half while Whittier had 8 with 3 on goal.

[56th minute] La Verne 1 - Chapman 2

These two teams played each other on Sept 10 in a non-conference match, with ULV taking it 1-0.  Chapman came out seeking to flip the script, scoring in the 9th minute, but allowed ULV to score the tying goal in the 45th minute and the go-ahead goal in the 56th after a throw-in.

[Gregory Sager]

Caltech 3 - Redlands 1

That's not a score most people in SoCal D3 circles expected to see in their lifetimes.  Ishaan Mantripragada and Etienne Casanova put this game to bed early with goals in the 8th and 10th minutes.

I don't know which of those two names I like better. Caltech may be the nerd school that typically gets the atomic wedgie from opponents in sports, but the Beavers always seem to have great names on their rosters.

[Kuiper]

UPDATE:  Pomona-Pitzer 2 - Occidental 1

Aiden MacLennan gets his second goal of the game in the 62nd minute off a throw-in and Oxy find itself behind the 8-ball although it did hit a PK in the 69th

UPDATE:  Whittier 1 - UC Santa Cruz 0

A goal in the 66th puts Whittier on top, which now has a 16-3 advantage in shots (7-1 SOG)

UPDATE:  Cal Lutheran 2 - CMS 1

Cal Lu finds a second in the 77th minute and CMS is left trying to find its form in front of goal (while being patient and not shooting wildly)

FINALS:

Chapman 2 - La Verne 1

Whittier 1 - UC Santa Cruz 0

Cal Lutheran 2 - CMS 1

Pomona-Pitzer 2 - Occidental 1

[Kuiper]

NWC action today

Pacific Lutheran 3 - Lewis & Clark 0

PLU got the job done, but their coach probably gave them a tongue-lashing after the game.  When you out-shoot Lewis & Clark 39-5 (16-3 on goal), you probably should score more than 3.  And when you out-shoot them 22-2 in the first half, you shouldn't go into halftime tied 0-0.  Credit to the L&C keeper for his 13 saves, but Pacific Lutheran was only up 1-0 until the last five minutes of the game when it scored in the 85th and 88th (on a PK).  PLU goes to 2-0 in the NWC and L&C is 0-2

Whitworth 1 - Pacific 0

After tying Willamette 2-2 on Saturday, Whitworth bounced back to pick up a win over Pacific after scoring in the 42nd minute.  Whitworth is now 1-0-1 and Pacific is 1-2-1.  With it's only win against Linfield and a tie against a George Fox team that is a far cry from last year's team, and only 2 goals scored all season thus far, Pacific looks like it simply doesn't have the offense to reliably compete this year.

Whitman 2 - Willamette 0

Whitman goes to 2-0 after beating Pacific and Willamette by identical 2-0 scores on its opening weekend.  This game was tighter than it looks, though, as it was tied 0-0 until Whitman broke through in the 72nd minute.

Puget Sound 4 - George Fox 1

Puget Sound is the other 2-0 team in the NWC after beating Lewis & Clark and George Fox, two of the weakest teams in the NWC.  Next week against Pacific Lutheran will be a better test of whether Puget Sound is for real.

[Kuiper]

First Region X rankings from the United Soccer Coaches.

I mostly agree with it, although I think Pomona-Pitzer and Whittier have benefited from the fact that the NWC teams have been getting steamrolled and that Occidental, CMS and Redlands opted for harder competition in Texas and the east coast.  The fact that UC Santa Cruz's one loss was to Pacific Lutheran in Tacoma may be an indication that PLU's record is a reflection of playing a strong non-conference schedule, most of which was away from home.

Region X - Poll 1 - September 9, 2025
Rank    School    Prev    W-L-T
1    Trinity University (Texas)    NR    1-0-0
2    Southwestern University    NR    4-0-0
3    Colorado College    NR    2-0-3
4    Pomona-Pitzer Colleges    NR    2-0-0
5    University of California Santa Cruz    NR    3-1-0
6    University of Mary Hardin-Baylor    NR    2-0-2
7    Whitman College    NR    1-0-3
8    Whittier College    NR    3-0-0

Region X coaches have come up with a new regional ranking.  Only change is that Whittier jumps over Whitman. You might make an argument that St. Thomas should have been rated or received votes after beating Mary Hardin-Baylor 3-1, but UST is only 2-1 against NCAA teams and lost to Texas Lutheran.  I show in brackets the records if you count non-NCAA D3 results. 

Region X - Poll 2 - September 16, 2025
Rank    School    Prev    W-L-T
1    Trinity University (Texas)    NR    5-0-0
2    Southwestern University    NR    5-0-1
3    Colorado College    NR    3-0-3
4    Pomona-Pitzer Colleges    NR    2-0-1 [4-0-1]
5    University of California Santa Cruz    NR    4-1-0
6    University of Mary Hardin-Baylor    NR    3-1-2
7    Whittier College    NR    3-0-0 [5-0-0]
8    Whitman College    NR    1-0-3

Pomona-Pitzer and Whittier jump Colorado College.  Whitman and Mary Hardin-Baylor jump UC Santa Cruz

REGION X - POLL 3 - SEPTEMBER 23, 2025
Rank   School   Prev   W-L-T
1   Trinity University (Texas)   NR   6-1-0
2   Southwestern University   NR   7-0-1
3   Pomona-Pitzer Colleges   NR   3-0-2
4   Whittier College   NR   4-0-0
5   Colorado College   NR   3-0-3
6   Whitman College   NR   3-0-3
7   University of Mary Hardin-Baylor   NR   5-1-2
8   University of California Santa Cruz   NR   4-3-0

[Kuiper]

Massive Sixth Street Rivalry game tomorrow at 4 pm (Pacific) between Pomona-Pitzer (5-0-2) and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (1-4-3).

Pomona-Pitzer comes into this game undefeated, regionally ranked, and receiving votes in the national ranking after beating Occidental, while CMS is on a 5 game winless streak, sitting at the bottom of the SCIAC standings with Redlands after losing to Cal Lutheran, and eager to salvage some pride by winning this game.  It's opposite day in this rivalry.

No matter though.  Throw out the records when one team walks across Sixth Street to play the other!

[Kuiper]

FINAL:  Mary Hardin-Baylor 3 - Rhodes 2

Nice away win for UMHB, which has shown its ability to battle against teams in close games (e.g., ties against Colorado College and Whitman and a 2-1 win over Texas Lutheran).  Not sure why they scheduled a single away game at 11 am in Memphis, TN on a Wednesday, though, sandwiched between two home games on the Saturdays before and after this game.  I guess a ~600 mile drive isn't considered a big deal for a team from Texas.  In the game, the teams were tied 1-1 at the half, but Mary Hardin-Baylor scored just a few minutes after the start of the second half.  Rhodes tied it up again in the 56th, but UMHB scored the game winner in the 65th.  Mary Hardin-Baylor is now 6-1-2, with it's only loss being to St. Thomas

Whitman 3 - Whitworth 0 (15th minute)

Lucas McAllister has already scored a hat trick, tallying goals in the 3rd, 7th, and 10th minutes in the Battle of the Whits.  Pretty crazy start to a game, especially being played at Whitworth.

Update:  still 3-0 Whitman in the 77th minute.  Whitworth regrouped and made adjustments to stem the early game bleeding, but hasn't been able to make up any ground.

FINAL:  Whitman 3 - Whitworth 1

Whitworth gets one back in the 83rd minute, but was too little too late

Pomona-Pitzer 1 - Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 0 (HALF)

P-P strikes first in the 34th minute off a cross into the box that Colin Eugster puts away in traffic right past a partially shielded CMS keeper.  CMS has had more shots, but they seem to be off, while Pomona-Pitzer has had more purpose in their attacks.  In one example of kind of an aimless attack, CMS launched a ball from their half to a striker who was literally surrounded by three Pomona defenders, all within a foot or two of him, plus a fourth defender nearby.

Update:  Pomona-Pitzer 1 - CMS 1 (50th minute)

Sean Lee scores for CMS in almost an identical play that led to Pomona's score in the first half, with a cross from the left side to the box leading to a goal.  CMS definitely started the half more aggressively.

Update:  Pomona-Pitzer 2 - CMS 1 (81st minute)

Pomona goes ahead with about 9 minutes to go on a long ball that the CMS keeper comes out hard for (but a little late or misjudges the distance) and the Pomona striker beats him to the ball in time to chip it over the keeper's head from outside the back (with the outside of his boot!).  Pandemonium in Pomona-land

FINAL:  Pomona-Pitzer 2 - CMS 1

Pomona is 2-0 in the SCIAC after beating Occidental and CMS by identical 2-1 scores.  CMS is 0-2-1.  It feels like a new world order.

Whittier 2 - Occidental 0 (HALF)

Whittier scored early and late in the first half to take the 2-0 lead into halftime.  After losing 2-1 to Pomona-Pitzer over the weekend, Oxy is at risk of starting SCIAC play 0-2 if they can't turn it around in the second half.

Update:  Whittier 2 - Occidental 1 (68th minute)

Oxy has been peppering shots, but finally gets one at the back of the net from centerback Cooper Gersch after a corner kick.

FINAL:  Whittier 2 - Occidental 1

Oxy is 0-2 in SCIAC play and Whittier is 1-0-1