As the spring semester comes to a close, so too do Occidental’s spring sports seasons. Senior athletes will score their final points in the next coming weeks and will pave the way for future generations of athletes. Here is an overview of what’s to come in this last month of matches.
The track and field teams have a number of meets left, which means that there are personal records (PRs) to be broken and lots of ground to cover. April 16, both the men and the women participated in the third and final SCIAC Multi-Dual Meet of the season, where Tigers in all events competed to advance to the SCIAC Championships on the weekend of April 30 and May 1. With athletes like Celia Fragale (sophomore) and former athlete of the week Jacob Torres (junior) hitting consistent PRs in their events, the track and field teams are set to go the distance.
Occidental’s golf teams are gearing up for their SCIAC championships April 24–26. Both the men and women are swinging strong with a current ratio of 4-1 wins to losses. As the team heads into the championship, fresh faces like Adam Elshamy (first year) — who tied for 6th at the most recent SCIAC 2 match — look to continue to prove themselves, while seniors and co-captains Jack Moeller and Anna Kim plan to leave their mark on Occidental athletics during their final season.
The women’s water polo team has fought hard this season to stay afloat amidst tough competition. They hope to turn the tide during their last few games and raise their current standing of 8-16 wins to losses. Most recently, the players honored their seniors with flowers and plaques during the team’s senior night event at their game against Whittier April 13. They also hosted an alumni game April 16, and the team’s final game is April 20, at Chapman University.
The men’s baseball team has played a multi-game series each weekend in a season that will not end until June. Center fielder Ryan Cacatian (first year) has been batting consistently these past few games, earning the team several home runs. Before heading into SCIAC championship territory, the baseball team will play a few more home games, including their Senior Day game against Cal Lutheran University, May 7.
Also at bat, the softball team has been playing hard on Bell Field, with a crowd full of supportive parents cheering them on. Earlier this season, the team had a historic win against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) where the Tigers beat CMS for the first time in 15 years. The team will face off against Pomona-Pitzer April 22–23 and then against the University of Redlands April 29–30 before heading to their final SCIAC tournament in May.
Occidental’s lacrosse team had two wins April 2 and April 9 against Cal Lutheran University and University of Redlands, respectively. Additionally, they have celebrated their teammates Julia Shwayder (senior), who was recently named a March CalHOPE Courage Award honoree, and Annie Dolan (senior), who currently holds the SCIAC record for most goals scored this season. The team will play their final home game against Chapman University, April 30, where they will also honor their seniors. They will then compete in the SCIAC Semi-Finals, May 4, and from there hopefully advance to the finals, May 7.
The tennis Tigers are out on the courts as both the men and women head into their final matches with close records: currently, the men have 7-6 wins to losses, and the women have 4-9 wins to losses. Women’s player Andei Fukushige (junior) is bringing the heat in both singles and doubles, routinely playing at the team’s #1 court position. For the men’s team, David Zhang (senior) has also been playing consistently and earning the Tigers the points they need to stay in the lead. With only a few matches left, the tennis teams look to end their season on a high note as they approach their SCIAC postseason tournaments in May.
Be sure to keep supporting and cheering on Occidental’s athletes as the semester comes to a close, and be on the lookout for more sports updates in the fall semester. To stay updated on this semester’s sports events and stats, follow along on the Occidental athletics website or follow @oxyathletics on Instagram.
