LOS ANGELES – Caltech Women's Soccer kicked off its 2024 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) campaign with a win on the road at local rival Occidental College.

The hosting Tigers opened the match with four shots in just over a three-minute span, all missing the target before Caltech could mount an attack and make an attempt at goal. Occidental found an opening in the 21st minute for a shot on goal only to be denied by junior goalkeeper Sophia Steven (Broomfield, Colo. / Peak to Peak Charter) for the first save of the match.

Senior midfielder Juni Polansky (Baltimore, Md. / Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) entered the match in the 29th minute and quickly made an impact. Caltech earned a corner kick mere minutes later, and Polansky floated the rebound over traffic and into the net from 20 yards out. The pivotal opening goal was her first goal in a Caltech uniform.

The Beavers maintained the pressure and doubled their lead just over four minutes later, as sophomore midfielder Marie Choi-Schattle (Barrington, R.I. / Barrington) made a long pass up the right wing to senior forward Jennifer Solgaard (Palo Alto, Calif. / Palo Alto) who broke away from a defender and lifted a hard shot out of the keeper's reach.

Occidental upped the intensity after halftime with a barrage of shots resulting in a game total of 19 for Caltech's six, and a 7-3 edge for shots on goal. While the Tigers found the back of the net just after the hour mark of the game, Caltech's defense would not let them equalize and the Beavers held on for a 2-1 victory.

"I could not be more proud of the team starting the season off with a win," Head Coach Emmy Meyring said. "It was truly a team effort. It was great to see us showcase what we have been working on over the last couple of weeks."

The win was Caltech's second in program history, with the first one in 2022 representing the program's first-ever win in SCIAC play.