NUMBERS NEVER LIE

UC Irvine's highest-ever ranking of No. 3 was short-lived as it now sits at No. 11 in the NSCAA/Continental Tire College rankings.

The 'Eaters are also ranked in five other notable publications:

The Bennett Rank, which relies on statistics and calculations, also slid the Anteaters to No. 11 along with College Sports Madness.

College Soccer News posts the highest rank for the 'Eaters at No. 7.

Top Drawer Soccer now has the Anteaters at No. 10 while Soccer America kept the 'Eaters out of its top-10 going from No. 11 to No. 18.

College Sports Madness released their preseason all-conference squads for the Big West Conference. Two Anteaters scored first team honors in seniors Cameron Iwasa and Bryan Breslin. Junior keeper Michael Breslin was named to the second team.

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.

CONFERENCE COOLDOWN

UC Irvine began its march through the rugged Big West Conference with a pair of hiccups:

The road trip began with a draw at Cal Poly in front of over 1,000 fans, 1-1, thanks to a 76th-minute strike from Mario Ortiz for his first collegiate goal.

Michael Breslin had a big hand in the draw saving six shots on the match including a huge save on a penalty shot in the 53rd minute to keep the deficit at one goal.

UCI's final stop on a trip featuring nine road tilts in its last 10 matches was into UC Santa Barbara. Nearly 5,000 fans watched as the Gauchos scored in the final minute of play holding the 'Eaters to its first goalless result of the season.

The loss ends a streak of 10 matches to open the season without being beaten. It's the fifth streak of 10 or more matches in program history, and ties the longest streak to open a season with the 2008 squad that went 7-0-3.

The Anteaters completed its non-conference schedule unblemished. It marks the second time UCI has swept through non-conference play matching the 2008 squad that went 7-0-2. The eight non-conference wins matches the 2011 squad that went 8-1-0 for the most in a single season.

The UCSB loss also marked the first match without a goal on the year. The 10 straight matches is the fifth longest streak in program history behind the 2006 squad (11 matches), 2008 squad (12 matches), 2000 squad (19 matches), and the 1994 team that went the entire 19-match schedule without behind shutout. The '94 squad's goal streak actually began in 1993 and didn't end until 1995 spanning 25 matches without a shutout.

Five MAC Hermann watch list players are featured on the Anteater schedule. Georgetown featured a pair in defender Joshua Yaro and forward Brandon Allen. LMU defender Craig Nitti also makes the list. Two Big West players make the list in UCSB midfielder Ismaila Jome and CSUN forward Sagi Lev-Ari.

BATMAN BEGINS

The Anteaters have more news 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 this week.

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, NASL 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 will look to get his first cap as the Americans have friendlies against Ecuador, Friday, Oct. 10, in East Hartford, Conn. followed by a trip to Boca Raton, Fla. on Tuesday, Oct. 14, to face Honduras.

DAVIS BEACONS

UC Davis does have an unbeaten streak still intact as it enters Anteater Stadium this week. The Aggies are 4-0-7 after earning home wins over Cal State Fullerton and UC Riverside over the weekend. UCD had a string of seven straight matches that bled into double overtime with six of them resulting in draws. Some of its notable results have been a draw at Ohio State and home draws to LMU, San Diego, and Air Force.

The 'Eaters and Aggies met up in a pair of 2-0 matches last season. They opened Big West play together in Davis in 2013 with the Aggies swiping a 2-0 victory that featured a pair of red cards dished out to UCI. The 'Eaters would get revenge in Big West Tournament play downing the Aggies, 2-0, in Anteater Stadium to end its season with an 9-9-3 mark.

The schools have matched up 21 times all-time with UC Davis holding a 9-8-4 edge. Neither squad has won more than three straight matches in the series.

Davis prides itself on defense holding all of its 2014 opponents to a goal or less in each match headed by defenders Ramon Martin Del Campo and Brian Ford who have each put in over 1,100 minutes on the pitch.

The offense has forged ahead steadily being held scoreless in just two of its 11 matches. Lucas Mohageg leads the squad with three goals. Matt Sheldon has a pair of goals and assists while putting up a team-leading 22 shots. The team as a whole has put just over 40% (61-of-151) of its shots on target as opposed to UCI holding a 47% mark (75-of-159).

Armando Quezada has taken over in the net in the last four matches posting a 2-0-2 record with two shutouts. He's stopped 12 of 14 shots on target. Kris Schultz began the season going 2-0-5 in seven matches allowing six goals while stopping 21 shots.

Fans may expect another rough-and-tumble affair with the Aggies near tops in the conference with over 15 fouls and nearly three yellow cards per match.

HORNETS NEST

Sacramento State's presence in the Big West has been noticed by the Anteaters. Since joining the conference, the Hornets have proven very pesky for UCI defeating them in Anteater Stadium, 2-1, in 2012, and driving UCI to the brink in 2013 as Cameron Iwasa scored in the final minute to take a match at Sacramento.

The Hornets hold the all-time advantage in the series with a 7-5-2 mark with only four matches in the whole series featuring a shutout. Sac State is 3-6-2 in 2014 coming off a four-goal loss to UC Riverside before trumping Cal State Fullerton in overtime to open conference play.

Sacramento State's non-conference slate featured a close loss to Air Force while drawing, 3-3, against USD. The Hornets invade Cal State Northridge on Thursday night before rounding out the weekend at Anteater Stadium.

Chimdum Mez paces the squad scoring five of its nine goals on the year including all three game-winners and topping the team with 23 shots and 10 on target. The remaining four goals and all nine assists have been spread out between nine players with no Hornet earning two of either.

Three keepers have gotten a chance in net this season with Philip Bru seeing the most time. He has stopped 20 shots and allowed eight goals in five matches earning a pair of wins and the draw with USD. Teddy Sampson saw time in four matches stopping 18 shots and allowing 11 goals, but could not secure a victory. James Del Curto currently tops the Sac State depth chart entering against UCR and earning the win over Cal State Fullerton where he stopped 10 shots.

Sac State's offense revolves around the home-run ball standing near the top of the conference with nearly 2.5 offsides and less than 10 shots per match. Despite being one of the most carded squads in the conferece, the Hornets commit just 12 fouls per match, near the least in the conference.