Team Effort Lifts No. 11 'Eaters Over Aggies, 1-0
October 09, 2014 | Men's Soccer
IRVINE, Calif. --- The Anteaters and Aggies brought as much excitement as you can to a 1-0 match with the 11th-ranked hosts pulling out the victory Thursday night at Anteater Stadium.
The game-winner came in the 35th minute as Jack Birkenbeuel cleared the zone and hit a streaking Eduardo Calzada. He and Gor Kirakosyan worked it between each other before Calzada slid the ball by Aggie keeper Armando Quezada and just inside the left post to open the scoring at 1-0.
Both squads had their chances early as each keeper was on its toes with a pair of saves. Quezada came up big just before the half as UC Irvine (9-1-2, 1-1-1) moved in on net and Cameron Iwasa turned a shot on net, but the keeper made a point-blank stop to keep it a one-goal match heading to the half.
The physicality reared its head as the second half started with lots of hard hits, bumps, and bruises, but play continued on even with neither squad putting up a shot in the few 10 minutes.
UC Davis (4-1-7, 2-1-0) began to pressure putting up shot after shot with quite a few sailing wide, however, keeper Michael Breslin showed up when it counted with a pair of solid saves to keep the lead.
Iwasa was back on the attack late steering his way around the keeper, but his severe-angle shot clipped the post and kept the Aggies within striking distance.
The Anteater defense came together to thwart UCD's final efforts to return UCI to the win column and end the Aggies' unbeaten run.
UC Davis had opened the season with an 11-match unbeaten streak that included seven draws before tonight. The Aggies were able to keep UCI to just one goal as with its other 11 opponents on the year.
Calzada's goal lifts him to the top spot on the team in goals with six, game-winners with three, and points with 14. Kirakosyan's third assist on the season gives him 13 points.
Breslin stopped four shots for his third shutout on the year which, coincidentally, have come in the team's three home matches. Quezada also stopped four shots for the visitors.
UCI remains at home to host Sacramento State on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 7:00 p.m.
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