Freshman defender Tom Elsea (Mission Viejo, CA) scored his first-ever collegiate goal on Saturday evening as the University of Redlands men's soccer team defeated Whittier College on the road, 1-0.  For the Bulldogs, it was also another first, as the squad registered its first shutout of the campaign.

Elsea put Redlands on the board in the 35th minute when he headed a cross from sophomore forward AJ VanderStaay (Bellingham, WA) into the back of the net. 

Up 1-0 at the break, Redlands held the advantage in corner kicks, 5-0, while the Poets held the slight edge in shots, 6-4.

The second half proved to be a battle, as both teams traded good opportunities.  The U of R came close to doubling its lead late in the contest when senior forward Evan Keny-Guyer (Portland, OR) hit a shot off the post, but it did not matter as the Redlands defense earned the shutout and closed out the game for the vital win. 

Not only was the backline solid all game long with senior defender Richie Marquez (Pomona, CA) leading the way, but Redlands senior goalkeeper Andreas Silva (San Jose, CA) came up big for the Bulldogs, making four total saves and stonewalling any chances that Whittier created.

In addition, the Maroon and Gray utilized its bench effectively on the evening, as a number of different players saw significant minutes in the triumph.

VanderStaay led the Bulldogs with three shots for the game, while a host of others provided one.

Redlands (3-1-0, 3-1-0 SCIAC) returns to action on Wednesday night when it hosts Pomona-Pitzer Colleges.  Kickoff at Farquhar Field is scheduled for 7 p.m.