PASADENA, Calif. (Oct. 30, 2021) – Caltech women's soccer hosted Occidental College on Saturday morning in its final game of 2021, bidding farewell to three graduating players in a memorable Senior Day ceremony.

Before the kickoff, Head Coach Ellery Gould and members of her coaching staff joined the players and their relatives in a heartwarming sendoff on North Field. 

Over her distinguished career, Schuyler Dick (Hudson, Ohio / Walsh Jesuit) made 45 appearances including 42 starts and ranked second all-time for Caltech with eight goals scored. She started her career as a hybrid center back/defensive midfielder but routinely stepped up higher on the field in the midfield and at forward. Off the field, she is the President of Caltech's chapter of Engineers Without Borders and has worked at JPL, exploring the potential for life on exoplanets.

Wing Zoe Rock (Chappaqua, N.Y. / Horace Greeley) played in 49 games - 44 times in the starting lineup - and sits at third all-time with 48 shots attempted. Double majoring in mechanical engineering and business, economics and management, her Caltech experience involved researching autonomous drones, working on lunar and Martian sampling robots and financial research.

Jocelyn Kho (Temple City, Calif. / Temple City) appeared in 42 games, including 31 starts at outside back. She serves as a teaching assistant for two different mechanical engineering courses and as the Secretary of the UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) Club.

Saskia van Nieuwstadt (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Ann Arbor Huron) also was recognized alongside her fellow first-years from 2018 but will return to the team next season. Thus far, she has made 43 appearances including 14 starts in the midfield. A mechanical engineering major, she participated in the SURF program, working on Leo, a walking and flying robot. She currently interns for the Lunar Trailblazer Mission and has completed internships with Lockheed Martin, Sequia Applied Solutions, and Boeing. On campus, Saskia participates in the Society of Women Engineers, Engineers Without Borders, and CubeSat Club, serves as the treasurer of Ruddock house, plays in the Caltech wind orchestra and tutors through the Caltech Y.

Scoreless at the half, the Beavers withstood steady pressure from the Tigers who tested Caltech sophomore goalkeeper Megan Robertson (Nashville, Tenn. / Harpeth Hall) with 15 shots in the first 45 minutes. Kho provided tremendous defensive support, particularly in the 37th minute as she blocked a shot by a Tiger forward that seemed destined for the left side of the Beavers' goal.

 

"Our team has improved so much this season, especially the last three weeks," Head Coach Ellery Gould said. "We definitely took a turn, and we were competitive and confident. We have played some of the best soccer that I've seen our team ever play." 

 

While the team improved vastly over the season, there were also several challenging events that led to teachable moments. That included the second half of play on Saturday when the Tigers took control after intermission, scoring four times in the final 45 minutes.