Box Score IRVINE, Calif. --- The Anteaters remained perfect in Big West Tournament finals fending off the 25th-ranked Matadors to the tune of 1-0 Sunday afternoon in a colorful Anteater Stadium.
Mats Bjurman led a breakout in the 66th minute heading toward the goal. He carried the ball up to Enrique Cardenas who nudge a pass to his right to a streaking Cameron Iwasa who fired from the right of the box ringing it off the far post and in for the match's only score to put UCI up, 1-0.
The goal left 24 hard-nosed minutes for the top-seeded 'Eaters to defend against an attacking CSUN squad. The Matadors (15-6-1, 5-4-1) came hard at UCI (14-4-3, 7-2-1) through the remainder of the match. Edwin Rivas actually had a chance to grab the lead first in the first five minutes of the half with a header off the crossbar, but that was as close as the Matadors could come to a shot on goal in the half.
The No. 18 'Eaters also had a pair of chances late in the match. Dennis Martinez's breakaway finish ended up just high which would have made it a two-goal advantage in the 75th minute. Michael Sperber nearly connected from midfield after Matador keeper Adam Hobbs came far out of his net to spurn any advances. The ball trickled toward the touch line and Sperber sent a slow, bounding ball towards the goal that finished a couple feet to the right. Luckily, the 1-0 score would hold up and the Anteaters would capture its fourth Big West Tournament title.
Enrique Cardenas would secure the Big West Tournament MVP after his assist in the final that followed the game-winning goal in the semifinal. In turn, he lifts his team-high assist total to six along with 22 points. Iwasa stays close behind Cardenas with now seven goals, three game-winners, and 18 points. Other big-time playmakers included Mats Bjurman with his fifth assist, all against conference opponents, and Christopher Santana who had 10 shots in the tournament including an 85th-minute goal on Friday.
Michael Breslin changed the game in net on Sunday fighting off four huge opportunities from CSUN in the first half. Tanner Snedigar made a long run with a give-and-go mixed in to create a 1v1 chance that Breslin knocked aside. Trevor Morley's shot and a header from Carlos Gonzalez would follow subsequent corner kicks, but Breslin fought them off preserving the shutout, his ninth, which extends his lead on the rest of the Big West. In addition to the four saves, Breslin lowered his goals-against-average to 0.82 to tie him atop the lead among Big West keepers.
UCI's record jumps to 14-4-3 on the season tying it for the second-most wins in a single season. It's also the seventh consecutive win for the program matching the 2008 squad for the longest winning streak. The eight home wins also match a program record for a season which has been done four other times.
Most importantly, the Anteaters have locked up its fourth NCAA Tournament berth and a chance at a national seed and first-round bye. NCAA.com hosts the tournament selection show online which will air Monday, Nov. 18, at 9:00 Pacific time to determine UC Irvine's postseason journey.
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