No. 7 Anteaters Tangle with Cal State Fullerton
October 14, 2014 | Men's Soccer
UPCOMING MATCHES
Cal State Fullerton Titans at No. 7 UC Irvine Anteaters
Sat. Oct. 18 / 7:00 PM
Anteater Stadium
BRES FOR PREZ
Michael Breslin and the defense returned to form with a pair of shutout performances last weekend leading to a Big West Defensive Player of the Week award for the redshirt junior keeper.
Breslin has yet to allow a goal this season at home recording a shutout in all four home matches. His home shutout streak actually spans back to last season when he finished with three shutouts in Big West and NCAA Tournament play. The streak stands at 620 minutes.
His 2014 shutout streak is currently at its peak at 180 minutes and he has saved his last seven shots on goal.
Breslin’s award was the second of his career to go with an award won in the final week of the 2013 regular season. UCI has brought home four Big West player of the week awards this season.
NUMBERS NEVER LIE
UC Irvine continued its road back to the top of the rankings jumping from No. 11 to No. 7 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire College rankings. Two weeks ago, UCI reached its highest-ever ranking at No. 3.
The ‘Eaters are also ranked in the five other notable publications:
The Bennett Rank, which relies on statistics and calculations, held the Anteaters to No. 11.
College Soccer News posts the highest rank for the ’Eaters at No. 6, one up from a No. 7-ranking last week.
The Anteaters are at No. 10 according to Top Drawer Soccer while Soccer America slid UCI up from No. 18 to No. 16.
College Sports Madness actually dropped UCI one spot to No. 12.
UCI has earned a preseason ranking four previous times from 2009-12. Its highest preseason ranking came in 2012 at No. 13 in the nation. The 2014 Anteaters were ranked No. 16 in the preseason poll.
DEEP SOUTH
Despite a rough start to conference play, the Anteaters rebounded nicely with a pair of wins and now sit atop the Big West South Division and tied alongside North squads Cal Poly, UC Davis, and UCSB with identical 2-1-1 records and seven points to date:
UCI handed the Aggies of UC Davis its first loss of the season after coming into the match 4-0-7. Eduardo Calzada and Gor Kirakosyan jousted on their way to the goal as to who would take the shot and assume the team goal and point lead, and Calzada would win out and slot the match’s lone goal inside the left post in the 35th minute.
The ‘Eaters would follow it up by dispatching of the pesky Sacramento State team that had given them trouble in years past. UCI emerged from a scoreless half with newfound vigor coming together for a pair of well-crafted goals from Mario Ortiz and Lester Hayes III.
UCI holds a one-point lead over Cal State Fullerton with UC Riverside two points behind them and CSUN falling in line with a single point, outside the playoff picture in the Big West South.
UCI’s standing in the conference is near the top in most categories to this point in the season. The ‘Eaters’ 1.92 goals per match lead the conference, while their 0.92 goals-against-average on the defensive end ranks second. Elsewhere, per match UCI ranks second in shots taken and corners earned, and stands third-fewest in fouls committed and second-fewest in offsides called. The Anteaters have also been issued the least amount of cards overall and in conference play amongst Big West members.
Conference play began with the North winning eight of the 16 matches and three ending in draws. Here’s a look at how the North and South stacked up against each other in the crossover matches:
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Stat North South UCI Note |
The home team won 10 of the meetings between the North and South.
Mario Ortiz is one of five players to put up multiple goals thus far in conference play.
Michael Breslin tops all keepers with a 0.47 goals-against-average. His .882 save percentage ranks second, and he is joined by Sac State keeper, James Del Curto, as the only two to earn a pair of shutouts.
BATMAN BEGINS
The Anteaters have more from the professional ranks as a second alum has earned a spot with the U.S. National Team. Speedster Miguel Ibarra has gotten the call from Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann to join the 21-man roster for their upcoming friendlies against Ecuador and Honduras.
The Lancaster-native transferred to UC Irvine in 2010 and accumulated 10 goals and 18 assists in his two years as an ‘Eater. He garnered Big West Tournament MVP, Big West co-Offensive Player of the Year, and All-American accolades before hearing his name called in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft by the Portland Timbers.
Ibarra was loaned out to Minnesota United FC where he has spent the last three seasons and scored 13 times while assisting on 10 others in 75 matches. The 2014 season has seen him near the head of the league with eight goals, two game-winners, and five assists en route to a pair of player of the week awards and most-recently, North American Soccer League Player of the Month status for September leading Minnesota to the head of the league table.
Ibarra joins another Anteater All-American and Seattle Sounders FC captain, Brad Evans, who has made his mark with the national team over the last year scoring a game-winner in a World Cup Qualifier vs. Jamaica and earning a spot training with the final 30 before the final cutdown for the 2014 World Cup.
Ibarra did not play in the friendly last Friday vs. Ecuador. The squad will play in Boca Raton, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 14, against Honduras as he looks to earn his first cap with the national team.
FAMILIAR FULLERTON
Cal State Fullerton is looking to rebound in 2014 after finishing 6-11-1 last season and out of the running for a Big West Tournament spot. After going winless through its first five matches, the Titans hit a groove winning its final four non-conference matches. Losses to UC Davis and Sac State to begin conference play were followed by commanding home victories vs. UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly. The Titans have fared much better at home in 2014 going 4-1.
The intriguing matchup lies on the sideline where former UC Irvine head coach of 19 years, George Kuntz, is now patrolling the CSUF side. He and current UCI head coach, Chris Volk, spent 17 years together on the ‘Eater coaching staff, and will battle for the Big West South in 2014.
Kuntz’s weapons include the senior collective of Marc Fenelus, Garrett Losee, Amara Soumah, and Ian Ramos. Fenelus and Losee lead the squad with four goals each with Soumah and Ramos combining on five of their own. The backline centers around Gabriel Quintero and Mitchell Bell. Bell has been a threat on the offensive end as well with a pair of goals including one against UCSB.
Jeff Salt has reclaimed his position in net for the last three matches, all wins, after struggling to an 0-3-2 mark to start the season. David Rodriguez Elias went 4-3-0 in his absence allowing nine goals while stopping 20 shots. Salt has fared a little better allowing just eight goals while stopping 29 shots.
Despite the new coaching arrangement, UCI and CSUF have history together. The ‘Eaters have won 22 of 48 meetings with seven ending in draws. The ‘Eaters took the home match in 2013, 2-1, and drew, 2-2, at Fullerton which saw three goals scored in the match’s final five minutes of regulation. UCI has taken the last three home matches in the series, all by a single goal, and have lost just three of the last 26 matchups in the series dating back to 2000.
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