PASADENA, Calif. (Sept. 25, 2021) – Rookie Sean Zheng (San Marino, Calif. / Polytechnic School) recorded a clinical hat trick in a breakout performance against SCIAC rival No. 9 Occidental College on Saturday morning.

Zheng notched his three goals on just four total attempts, including a pair of penalty shots, while adding two drawn exclusions in a fast-paced game where the eight-man Beavers roster had little possession compared to the 21-man Tigers. The relentlessly sprinting and calm passing of Oxy proved too much for Caltech to keep up with through fatigue, leaving the final score line of 21-5 a less-accurate measure of the talent displayed by the Beavers throughout the game.

The Beavers drew nine exclusions as a team, led by junior Max Bricken (Portland, Ore. / Westview). He also notched a goal and assist while adding one of two steals for Caltech, the other courtesy of sophomore Perry Samimy (Miami, Fla. / Ransom Everglades), who registered an assist. Junior Matthew Hajjar (San Jose, Calif. / The Harker School) added a goal and assist as well in a valiant effort to provide a significant presence from the hole set, where he got off several dangerous shots. Junior Wei Foo (Hacienda Heights, Calif. / Troy) made five saves against a constant barrage from Occidental, showing particularly well in the second quarter as he made several trademark point-blank stops before handing duties off to new graduate addition Andrew Graven (Redondo Beach, Calif. / Cornell Univ.) who recorded his first five career saves over the second half.

Head Coach Jon Bonafede and the Beavers head to national DIII No. 1 Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Wednesday to kick off a five-game away swing before returning home Oct. 13.