UC Irvine Sperbs No. 6 Stanford
November 23, 2014 | Men's Soccer
PALO ALTO, Calif. --- Michael Sperber and Cameron Iwasa produced the magic in the 97th minute to lift UC Irvine over the sixth-seeded Stanford, 1-0, Sunday night at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.
Sperber leapt and gathered a clearance driving towards the box. After slipping a ball to Iwasa, the senior dribbled through defenders and found Sperber streaking around the back who would finish near post beating Cardinal keeper, Andrew Epstein, to shock the 1,053 in attendance.
"I envisioned the goal as soon as I intercepted the pass," redshirt sophomore Michael Sperber explained with a huge smile on his face. "I would have had to chip it over the keeper since he was coming out, so I went near post and it went perfectly under his arm. "
The 'Eaters (16-5-3, 4-5-1) put up a fight throughout the match against the Pac-12 champions. Stanford (13-3-3) nearly set UCI back in the 10th minute putting a goal home, but the official's offsides flag called it back and put the match back at 0-0.
UCI punched back with a few shots including a golden opportunity late in the half. A clearances was blocked right onto a free Eduardo Calzada who one-touched a volley on goal and was shoved over the net by Epstein to thwart the chance.
The Cardinal began to assert themselves in the second half slowly gaining majority of the possession led by U.S. national team call-up, Jordan Morris.
The Anteater defense had an answer for every push toward goal including keeper Michael Breslin who stopped all three shots he faced.
UCI even danced around the goal in the final minutes of regulation, but the match was destined for overtime.
Sperber's goal was the first of his career. Three of his four career points have now come in NCAA Tournament matches joining his game-winning assist of Christopher Santana's goal against UNC last season.
Iwasa's assist ties him for the team lead with six on the year, and he now has nine points in UCI's five postseason matches this year.
Breslin and the defense posted shutout No. 10 matching their 2013 total.
The team also tied the 2008 squad with its 16th win on the season. It also marks the first-ever win over the Cardinal in its ninth try.
"The defensive effort for the entire team I'm really proud of," Head Coach Chris Volk praised following the match. "Today we had a defensive midfielder scoring the game-winner. We've got a nice blend of players and a good balance."
UC Irvine's next stop will be Providence, R.I. to take on the 11th-seeded Friars. The match will be on Sunday, Nov. 30, with the game time still to be determined.
__________________________________________________________
For UC Irvine Athletics ticket information, please call (949) 824-5000 or e-mail athletics.tickets@uci.edu. For more information click here.
For information on how you can help support UC Irvine Athletics, please call (949) 824-6933 or e-mail aaf@uci.edu. For additional information, click here.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and by downloading the UCI Front Row app, available free to all Anteater fans through iTunes and Google Play, to view schedules, results, and up-to-the-minute news.
