The men’s soccer team clinched the SCIAC tournament title with a close at-home 1-0 win over Redlands Nov. 8. Their victorious path to the finals began with a 2-1 regular season win against Cal Lutheran, Oct. 29. In the semi-finals SCIAC tournament match, the Tigers took down La Verne by a score of 4-1, Nov. 6, securing their place in the finals.
The SCIAC victory marks the Tigers’ second SCIAC championship in three seasons and earned them an NCAA tournament berth. The team will travel to Minneapolis and face Augsburg in the first round Nov. 15.
SCIAC Offensive Athlete of the Year Devin Bening (sophomore) led the men’s team in goals, and four other players received All-SCIAC honors for the season.
Men’s Assistant Coach Brian Wright said the team’s mentality played a crucial role in their regular season victory against Cal Lutheran.
“There are two ways to look at it,” Wright said. “You can either shy away from [the moment], or embrace [it]. We went into the game with confidence, and we took care of business.”
Justin Nishimoto (senior) said he noticed an increased energy amongst the team before the Cal Lutheran game.
“I felt like the energy was definitely up in the pregame warmups,” Nishimoto said. “The adrenaline was high for sure. There was a little nervousness, but it felt so good to get that win on our head coach’s birthday.”
Nishimoto said he felt the team hit its stride at the right time.
“Going from last place at the beginning of the season to first was such a good feeling,” Nishimoto said. “It felt like we were hitting the potential we knew we had, finding our form and showing people that we’re the real deal.”
Aidan Aley (senior) said the team’s journey this season has been rewarding.
“It’s been super gratifying,” Aley said. “It’s essentially a brand-new team from last year. We had 13 newcomers on the team, which is the most since the COVID-era […] I think we’ve come together as a team and gotten through the season in a fantastic way. We’ve had a renewed hunger that we haven’t had since we last won SCIAC.”
Aley said soccer alumni have set an example for team leadership.
“The team is a family,” Aley said. “I’ve learned so much from the alumni who have come before me. They set the groundwork for how to be a leader, and how to keep the familial values and brotherhood of the team.”
Aley said the Tigers are prepared for the challenges that come with postseason play.
“I think we’re our biggest opponent,” Aley said. “We can beat any team out there. It’ll just come down to us playing our best, and I think that we will.”
The Occidental women’s soccer team clinched their first SCIAC tournament berth since 2021 by defeating Whittier in a 2-0 shutout Oct. 29. The team defeated Chapman 2-0 in the first round of the SCIAC tournament Nov. 3 before falling to Pomona-Pitzer by a final score of 3-0 in the semifinal Nov. 5.
The women’s team had four players earn All-SCIAC honors, and Logan Morris (senior) received the SCIAC Award of Distinction.
Melanie Rodriguez (sophomore) said the women’s team demonstrated great teamwork throughout the season.
“It’s truly been an inspiration—coming back from last season and persevering [to become] the kind of team that we are now,” Rodriguez said. “It’s really easy for teams to turn against each other, but we uplift each other. I’m very grateful to be a part of that.”
Rodriguez said the quarterfinal against Chapman was her favorite game of the year.
“I think that’s the best I’ve ever seen us play,” Rodriguez said. “It was a beautiful game, from [our] camaraderie to [our] communication. Chapman is a difficult team to beat, so winning that [game] was wonderful.”
Rodriguez said this season’s success can be a stepping stone for future triumph.
“I think we can definitely take it further for sure,” Rodriguez said. “I’m just very excited to be a part of this team and help grow the program even more.”
Mia Steadman (junior) said the past season demonstrated the team’s growth over the years.
“I think we’ve come a really long way,” Steadman said. “We’ve all grown together and learned from each other. This season was a testament to how much work we’ve put in over the past years. It’s been an incredible journey for everyone, and I’m really glad to be a part of it.”
Steadman also said she believes the team’s future is bright.
“I think there’s a lot of potential,” Steadman said. “We have a lot of talented players. We’re losing our phenomenal senior class, but we’ll be excited to come back next year and hopefully go even farther.”
Women’s Head Coach Colm McFeely said he was happy the team’s seniors got to experience a playoff run.
“We had seven seniors who had been with us for all four years,” McFeely said. “It was such a rewarding time to see all of them on the field. Those things are special, and we were really happy that they managed to make it into the playoffs. They [will] take that memory with them.”
McFeely, who is set to retire after this season, said he has faith in the program’s future.
“I looked at where this program can go and I think it’s a good time to hand the reins over,” McFeely said. “I’m sure they’ll get someone in here that takes the program to the next level. […] Next season, this group has got a good number of quality players coming back, and I’m hoping that they’ll be able to take that next step.”
Contact Mac Ribner at ribner@oxy.edu
