UC Irvine
UC Santa Barbara
McGrail Takes Over in 3-1 Win
October 07, 2012 | Women's Soccer
IRVINE, Calif. --- Laura McGrail is finding it hard to score a goal that doesn't win a match as she came through again with the eventual game-winner in a 3-1 win at home over the UCSB Gauchos. She did score twice in the match giving her five goals on the year, four of them going for game-winners.
The Anteaters came roaring back after UCSB (3-9-2, 0-3-1) scored in the fifth minute to take the early lead. In the 24th minute, Mar Rodriguez collected a failed clearing attempt and fed McGrail. She took a dribble and whipped around for a quick, cross-cage strike into the upper right to tie the match up.
Both sides played a very spirited and competitive match through the first half as the 1-1 score held.
UCI (7-8-0, 3-1-0) grabbed ahold of the momentum as the second half began as some nice footwork put the ball at Natalia Ledezma's feet as she flanked down the left wing. Gaucho keeper Makenna Henry jumped on the floating cross and swatted it, but it fell right to McGrail in the box who punched it inside the left post to take the lead, 2-1, in the 47th minute.
The rest of the half saw a spike in the physicality culminating in a foul in the box by the Gauchos leading to a Rachel Wood penalty kick strike in the 83rd minute to stretch the lead to 3-1.
McGrail now holds the team lead in goals with five while tied with Ledezma for points at 10. Mar Rodriguez collected her first point since the 2010 season with her assist on UCI's first goal. Rachel Wood now has three goals on the season, all coming by virtue of penalty kicks.
Jenn Randazzo got back in the win column as she collected three saves on the afternoon.
The win gives UCI a 3-1-0 record in conference keeping them right in line with the top squads in the conference as it heads north next weekend. UCI takes on the Pacific Tigers at Friday, Oct. 12th at 7:00 p.m. in UOP's final Big West regular season match against UC Irvine. The 'Eaters will remain up north to face UC Davis on Sunday for a 1:00 p.m. match.
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