Duplicate Effort Gives 'Eaters 2-0 Tourney Win
November 08, 2014 | Men's Soccer
IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine and Sacramento State reprised their matchup Saturday night in Anteater Stadium to the tune of another 2-0, Anteater victory in the Big West Tournament first round match.
The match was eerily similar to the regular season tilt nearly a month ago which saw a scoreless draw going into the half. UC Irvine (13-5-2, 4-5-1) held the majority of the possession along with a 9-4 shot differential including a pair of strikes by Cameron Iwasa that Hornet keeper, Philip Bru, settled to keep the match tied.
UCI would then go on the attack in the second half, much like the first meeting, with a pair of rapid-fire goals.
The scoring started from a spectacular play from defender Matthew Tilley. Eduardo Calzada lined up for a corner kick in the 64th minute where Mats Bjurman's head found it first directing it across the face of goal where Tilley dove at it to head it in to make it 1-0, UCI.
Sacramento State (6-11-3, 4-5-1) could hardly catch its breath before Mitchell Alvarez led Iwasa down the field, and the senior cut and jabbed before winding up just inside the box and placing it inside the far right post extending the lead to 2-0 just 89 seconds after the initial score.
The Hornets pushed late with a pair of dynamite chances in the waning minutes. Bert Corona ran onto a bounding ball in the box that he would scald off the crossbar. Minutes later, Chimdum Mez appeared out of the mass in the box from a long, curling free kick, but his header rose just high of the bar holding the win and shutout for the Anteaters.
Michael Breslin kept the defense in check stopping a pair of shots and securing shutout No. 7 on the year.
Tilley's goal was his first of the season coming on just his second shot. Iwasa got his scoring edge back with his third goal of the year and first since September. It was also his first point since the previous Sac State match.
Assists on the evening went to Bjurman, his fourth of the year, Calzada, his third, and Alvarez, his second.
UC Irvine's postseason march continues on to Santa Barbara and a rematch with the Big West North champion Gauchos. The semifinal match will be Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 7:00 p.m. for a spot in the Big West Final.
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