IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine finished out its 2016 season Saturday night in Anteater Stadium to the tune of a 1-1 draw with Cal State Fullerton.
Seven seniors were honored before the match: Thomas Janjigian, Edgardo Molina, Elliot Farmer, Noah Gaines, Michael Sperber, Matthew Tilley, and Randall McDermott.
Cal State Fullerton (8-8-3, 4-3-3) nearly got the scoring started hitting the post in the sixth minute, but UCI (5-13-1, 3-6-1) jumped out first in the 10th.
The ball worked to the wing for Janjigian who shot a low cross to Ivan Canales in the box. His pass back across found Molina, making his first career start, who wouldn't miss from close slipping it inside the far post for a 1-0 lead.
UCI had multiple chances to add to the lead as Giovanni Godoy knocked the post and McDermott was saved twice, and that would cost them in the 25th minute.
The Titans earn possession down in their offensive corner, and Alex Heilmann shot out down the endline. His pass rolled through to the top of the box and find Ruban Alvarez who punched it home inside the right post to tie the match at 1-1.
CSF had chances to get a lead of their own ringing a shot off the post, and Brandon West nearly caught Farmer off his line, but the sides remained deadlocked heading into the half.
The offenses quieted early in the second half while the intensity rose. The fouls added up, and each side earned a yellow until things came to a boil in the 81st minute. Pushing and shoving led to more yellows including a second yellow to Robert Coronado leaving the Titans to play with 10 men for the rest of the match.
UCI picked up the attack and had one brilliant chance in the 87th minute as Armon Ojuola's header slid through the crowd, but was kept out by a defender sending the match to overtime for the first time this season the Anteaters.
The best chance for each side came in the first overtime period. Godoy volleyed home a cross on target, but David Elias managed to get an arm out to block the shot aside and keep the match going. CSF drove toward goal in the final moments of the period with Diego Sanchez all along on a 1v1 on the right wing, but his poke floated just wide of the goal sending the match to a second overtime.
The final 10 minutes were a chess match with a pair of moderate chances by the 'Eaters from a McDermott chip shot and Felipe Silva header both saved to finish the match out in a 1-1 draw.
The goal from Molina is the second of his career assisted by Janjigian, who finishes with 11 career assists, and Canales, his fifth on the season.
Farmer comes away with the draw and five saves to finish with 69 in his career. Elias had seven of the eight CSF saves on his end.
The Anteaters end 2016 with a 5-13-1 record and a fourth place finish in the Big West at 3-6-1.
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