RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- No. 13 UC Irvine turned up the heat on Mississippi State with a 2-0 victory to improve to 4-0. Natalia Ledezma (La Mirada / UCLA) and Cami Privett (Bakersfield / Frontier HS) provided the scores while Jennifer Randazzo (San Jose / Presentation HS) stopped three shots.

The 'Eaters (4-0-0) possessed the ball early, but Mississippi State (0-3-0) had a pair of early shots. Devon Delarosa (San Diego / Rancho Bernardo HS) stole the ball in the offensive third that led to an opportunity for Ledezma before she was fouled. The ensuing free kick from Mady Solow (Toronto, Canada / University of Florida) would sail just high. Solow had a breakaway off a rebounded blocked shot, but it was forced wide. The Bulldogs came back down on the attack, but Zoya Farzaneh (Irvine / Irvine HS) put a halt to it. A deep cross by CoCo Goodson (Ramona / University of Texas) was headed away, and the Bulldogs would counter with a deep shot that was corralled by Randazzo. UCI would maneuver the ball back down the field, keeping it in the offensive half.

The teams upped the physicality around the 15^th minute as Mississippi State had a prime opportunity that was snuffed out from behind by Goodson. The Anteaters came back down the field, but Bulldog keeper, Skylar Rosson, would swallow up a rebound. The ball continued to float around the offensive end with Farzaneh lobbing a shot just wide. Farzaneh fed a nice pass in to Jenna Pellegrino (Poway / Poway HS), but a Bulldog defender stepped in to take the ball.

The 'Eaters continued to put the pressure on as Lexi Kopf (Sonora / Sonora HS) had a nice run that was deflected out of play. Pellegrino got the first corner kick of the day, and she would play the ball into the box and put one on goal. Kopf fought the ball back for the Anteaters as the teams traded possessions until Dana Sanderlin (Upland / Upland HS) got a good shot off which sailed just inches high of the net. Mississippi State pressured a little before UCI came storming back down the field. Mississippi State had another shot go wide.

The play slowed a little entering the final minutes as the heat began to take its toll. Jordan Bruce's (San Diego / West View HS) corner kick missed the mark. The 'Eaters offense juggled the ball around the offensive third, but couldn't get any attack going. Another corner kick from Bruce was right on target, but Rosson for the Bulldogs would fly on the ball and thwart any chance. Another corner kick by Bruce found Sarah Devine (San Diego / Poway HS), but her header careened off the field and the crossbar.

The physical play would increase with the half approaching, and the 'Eaters failed to get any sort of an offense going. Another Bruce corner kick would overshoot the offense, and a Janelly Farias (Moreno Valley / University of New Mexico) blast would miss just wide right.

Farias had the best opportunity of the half with her shot getting tipped by the keeper off the crossbar and handled before Kopf could get on the rebound. Judy Christopher's (Ontario / Upland HS) cross would be deflected out near the net as the half would count down with the score still tied at zero.

Both keepers would get some action to start the second half as the ball found its way into the box on each side. A nice run by Sanderlin set up Ledezma and a corner kick by Delarosa. Devine would just miss a shot and the ball would rebound to Sanderlin who would punt it high over the cage. The Bulldogs put the ball in the box again, but UCI would counter as Farias shot one wide.

The ball would slosh around a little on the field that was sprayed with sprinklers at the half. Soon thereafter, a tussle for possession would result in a foul on Kopf around the top of the Bulldog box. Christopher would gain possession eventually and put a shot on target. Goodson would steal the ball and push it forward to Ledezma.

The following counter would see Ledezma take the ball all the way in and put the 'Eaters in front, 1-0, in the 53^rd minute with a beautiful, left-footed shot into the top right corner.

Kopf would follow that up with a shot on goal, and another attack by her would find Sanderlin in the box, but the tip would fall just wide. A hand ball by Christopher, who also earned the assist on the goal, would give the Bulldogs an offensive charge, but a shot would sail high. Sanderlin put a great pass in front of Kopf, but lead her just a little much. Ledezma hustled the ball back into the offensive zone and force another corner kick. Solow would take it and see it be headed straight out of bounds by the Bulldogs.

UCI would shuffle the ball around the defensive end as the temperature inched towards the 100 degree mark. Alexis Rafael (Stockton / Lincoln HS) made her presence felt immediately upon entering the game as she crushed a shot on goal. The Bulldogs would come right back and get a shot of their own.

Solow would bring the ball back on the attack, and Christopher would fire one in and just wide. Ledezma would bend one on goal shortly after. Mississippi State would gain control of the ball for a little while until Sanderlin got it just outside the box and forced another corner kick which would give the 'Eaters a 10-0 advantage at that point in the match.

The corner would be headed away and the Bulldogs would soon start an offensive attack until Randazzo would get to it. Kopf would get bowled over in the offensive end to force a free kick. Goodson would keep it on the ground, but just wide. Another free kick from the sideline by Bruce would bound around the box until Christopher put a foot on it and blazed one just high.

The ball would change possessions a few times as Pellegrino entered the box with a scoring chance that would be pooched away by the Bulldog defender. The Bulldogs would foul the 'Eaters giving Goodson another shot from the middle of the offensive half, but her low, line-drive shot would be flipped wide by Mississippi State. Privett had a nice shot on goal that was saved by a sprawling Bulldog keeper.

Mississippi State made another charge and had a shot blocked until Christopher's accidental hand ball would give the Bulldogs a free kick right outside the box. Morganne Grimes' lob just overshot the goal as the Anteaters kept their one-goal advantage. Kopf made some nice moves up the field as her shot was saved.

The temperature finally broke 100 as Privett would dribble the ball down from the sideline and put it just between the keeper and the post to make it 2-0 in the 81^st minute. UCI would continue the pressure and force another corner kick. Pellegrino put it on Goodson who would deflect it out again.

The ensuing corner kick went in the box as a mad scramble ensued between a number of players including the keeper. Tempers would rise as Ledezma would get tangled up with a few of the Bulldog players and turn into a bit of a shoving match that would result in a yellow card for Ledezma.

The game would continue as Goodson would punt another shot wide. Another free kick would float into the box and be saved by the Mississippi State keeper. The Bulldogs would counter, but fail to get a shot as the match entered the final five minutes.

UCI would get another charge down the field as Privett would bend a shot around the goal. Christopher added a high shot as the 'Eaters would close out the match with the 2-0 victory.

Ledezma, Christopher, and Goodson were all named to the All-Invitational Team.

UCI goes to 4-0 on the season with their next match coming Friday, Sept. 2 as the Anteaters open their home schedule as part of a doubleheader. The women will tackle Hawaii at 6 p.m. at Anteater Stadium followed by an 8 p.m. match for the men vs. Gonzaga.

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