UCI Falls in Final Seconds of Double Overtime at No. 4 UCSB
October 05, 2012 | Men's Soccer
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --- UC Irvine has done one thing right this year and that's play the big schools tough. Just like its matches at the ranked UCLA, New Mexico, and Oregon State squads, the Anteaters play the No. 4 Gauchos of UCSB down to the last minutes, but once again the victory slipped through UCI's hands as UCSB scored with 24 seconds to go for a 2-1 win in double overtime.
UCI and UCSB played in front of the largest crowd in the nation so far this season on Friday night as 7,822 people packed Harder Stadium and got to see a great match.
UCI (3-8-1, 0-3-0) grabbed the first lead of the match in the 18th minute. Lester Hayes III crushed a ball from the top of the box to give the Anteaters the 1-0 lead, and his second straight match with a goal.
UCI held tough and took the lead into the half thanks to four saves from keeper Michael Breslin.
The fourth-ranked Gauchos (8-0-3, 2-0-1) came out firing in the second half as Nic Ryan's lob shot tied it in the 49th minute.
Both squads battled back and forth, but would need extra time to decide it.
Dion Acoff and Cameron Iwasa turned it on in the first overtime with a pair of shots each, but the action would continue into a second overtime.
The action spread throughout the field with UCI getting the best chance of the overtime period. Marco Franco gathered an outlet pass and deked a defender before firing from the top of the box. UCSB Austin Mansker dove and knocked it up and over the net to preserve the match.
UCSB rushed back upfield and Nic Ryan would benefit from a cross as he would tip the pass on target and roll it past an outstretched Michael Breslin to end the match in the 110th minute.
For UCI, it is now the third time it has pushed a ranked foe to the overtime limit, however, no wins to show for it as the Anteaters drop to 0-3-0 in the Big West conference with all three losses coming against North Division schools.
For Hayes, he netted his third goal of the season joining Cameron Iwasa and one behind Gor Kirakosyan.
Michael Breslin stopped six shots for a total of 54 on the season, however, UCI is now winless in nine straight matches.
The Anteaters will attempt to break that slide on Sunday, October 7th as it continues its road trip to Cal Poly for a 1:00 p.m. match.
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