ICY WELCOME

By Brandon Petersen

The Westcliff women's soccer team was an inhospitable host Saturday at OCC, where the Warriors welcomed Stanton to the Cal Pac then raced past the Elks for a 6-0 win.

Amylette Lopez put the Warriors in front less than three minutes in, and Jysabella Tolentino doubled the advantage with an unassisted strike in the ninth.

Jordyn Gather added the third before halftime, as Westcliff carried a 3–0 cushion into the break.

The Warriors pressed their advantage after the interval.

Gather netted her second of the match in the 51st minute, followed by Samantha Aguila's finish in the 59th.

Arion Newby closed the scoring in the 86th, sealing the emphatic conference-opening result by slamming a PK left of the keeper and into frame.

Head coach Jack Gidney said the performance showed a sharper, freer group than the one that played at Biola.

He noted that the first-half scoreline perhaps flattered Westcliff because the build-out was "a little scruffy," but the number of chances created reflected real quality in the final third.

Gidney added that in the second half his staff changed shape, playing without a center forward and using two tens in the half-spaces with wide wingers, which "terrorized" Stanton and allowed the Warriors to control the game.

"Anytime you open conference with a 6–0 win, you're happy," he said. "All the bodies played, they got good minutes, and we're looking at rhythm again.

"That was business as usual."

Westcliff (8-1-1, 1-0-0 Cal Pac) outshot Stanton 23–7, with goalkeeper Kayli Cokley posting a clean sheet behind five saves.

The Warriors now head north for a two-match road swing, visiting Cal Maritime and Pacific Union next week.