UPCOMING OPPONENTS

Game Notes

UC Irvine Anteaters at Oregon State Beavers

Thursday, September 22, 2016 - 12:00 PM
Lorenz Field - Corvallis, Ore.
TV | Live Stats

Sunday, September 25, 2016 - 3:00 PM
Merlo Field - Portland, Ore.
Video | Live Stats 

Broadcast Information

TV            

UCI's Thursday match at Oregon State will air on the Pac-12 Network

Online    

UCI's Sunday match at Portland will be streamed live via TheW.tv. All streaming links and pertinent information can always be found at ucirvinesports.com

Live Stats              

Live stats are available for every Anteater soccer game through ucirvinesports.com and the UCI Sports Front Row app.

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Be sure to follow UCI Athletics and UCI men's soccer on all of the official social media accounts to stay up-to-date on daily news, and gameday and in-game information.

FIRST KICKS

+ UC Irvine travels to Oregon State Thursday, the match will be broadcast on Pac-12 Network

+ All-time, the 'Eaters are 16-46-10 against the Pac-12, 1-1-1 under coach Volk

+ UCI has yet to score in Corvallis being outscored 2-0 in three matches all-time going 0-2-1

+ Five Anteaters on the 2016 roster remain from the meeting in 2012: Thomas Janjigian, Noah Gaines, Michael Sperber, Matthew Tilley, and Elliot Farmer

+ Tilley was the only 'Eater to start playing all 102 minutes on the backline, Gaines entered as a sub, and Farmer relieved Michael Breslin in the fifth minute of the first half after an injury before he returned for the beginning of the second half

+ Portland is UCI's third West Coast Conference opponent of the season with losses to LMU and at Santa Clara already. All-time, the 'Eaters are 38-41-3 against the WCC, and 3-2-1 under Volk

+ UCI and Portland have met twice, never in Portland. UCI won, 3-2, in a neutral site in 2004, and the Pilots took the 1998 match in Irvine, 2-1

+ UCI has not a non-conference match away from home since September of 2014 against Utah Valley reaching nine matches now where its gone 0-8-1, in those nine matches, UCI has scored three goals, one this season in the neutral-site loss to Indiana

+ UCI's 4 goals through 6 matches are one more than 2015, last year's Anteaters scored their fourth goal as part of a 4-1 win vs. LMU in their eighth match

+ Four different 'Eaters have scored this season, each from a different class, and at least one of each from the three thirds of the field. Midfielders are the only to account for multiple

+ The Anteaters fall within the top 100 in one category, saves per match, averaging 4.00

+ The squad ranks 200th out of 203 programs with an average of 17.57 fouls per match

+ UCI fires 9.29 shots per match, seventh in the Big West, but turn 4.57 shots per match on target rankings fourth in the conference

LAST TIME OUT

The 'Eaters fell twice at home last week beginning with a Wednesday night loss to LMU. The 'Eaters put three of their four first half shots on goal and outshot LMU 15-11 with nine on target, but LMU took the win, 1-0, after a free kick that was initially saved was turned home on a rebound in the 67th minute. LMU's Collin Partee was magnificent with nine saves as the 'Eaters beared down with 11 second half shots and six second half corners.

UCI and New Mexico met late Saturday, and UNM got things going early scoring the opener in the third minute. UNM's Niko Hansen added goals in the 50th and 56th minutes to complete his hat trick. Matthew Tilley headed home a score in the 57th minute to draw the Lobos closer, but UCI ultimately fell by that score of 3-1. Elliot Farmer made five saves, and Alex Waldron made his collegiate debut in the loss dropping the team to 1-6.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

UCI heads out for a pair of road matches this week in Oregon beginning with Oregon State of the Pac-12. The Beavers regrouped beating UNLV last week to jump to 4-2-1. OSU began the season with four home matches going 3-0-1 including an OT win over Ohio State. Four Beavers have multiple goals including three each for juniors Jordan Jones and Timmy Mueller. Junior Nolan Wirth has 21 saves allowing just seven goals by as the team regularly outshoots its opponents an average of 14.6-11.

Portland shared its first four opponents with OSU going 3-1 all at home. UP returns home to face UCI at 4-3-1 after five straight on the road that includes losses to Sac State and UC Davis along with a match at Grand Canyon Thursday. Sophomore Jackson Jellah and junior Erik Edwardson have three goals each as UP has three combined shutouts in their eight matches.

Jump Start

The Anteaters' tough start is not a usual sight to the program. At 1-6, it's the most losses through the team's first seven matches in program history. UCI has entered conference play with as many as six losses just four times and seven losses just once in 1986. Since 2000, UCI has won as little as three matches just three times: 2003 (3-6), 2012 (3-5-1), and 2015 (2-5-2). Coach Volk is the only to draw success from a rough start to UCI's season by reaching the Big West Tournament last season.

Pack It On

The 'Eaters match up with their first Pac-12 opponent of the season on Thursday. Under coach Volk, the 'Eaters are 1-1-1 against the conference falling to UCLA and drawing SDSU last season in addition to an upset win at Stanford in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. All-time, UC Irvine is 16-46-10 against the Pac-12.

Formation Format

The Anteaters have switched up the starters in each contest this season. No 'Eater has played all 630 minutes, but three have logged over 600 minutes: Matthew Tilley, Noah Gaines, and Elliot Farmer.

Overcompensation

UCI has yet to reach overtime despite eight OT matches in 2015. UCI's first eight games have been settled in regulation just two times since 2000 with the last being 2010 when OT wasn't reached until game 10.

THROW-INS

+ UCI and Oregon State will meet Thursday for only the second time since 2000, the two met each season from 1996-2000

+ UCI is winless in three trips to Corvallis (0-2-1) being outscored 2-0 in the three matches

+ The last meeting in 2012 featured a scoreless draw into overtime until the Beavers one it on a goal in the 102nd minute

+ UCI and Portland have no shutouts between them in their two previous matchups with each team scoring four times overall

+ OSU and Portland met in an exhibition match drawing, 2-2

+ Elliot Farmer ranks 36th in the nation with 27 saves

+ Farmer averages 3.86 saves per match which is 68th in the country, fourth in the Big West

+ Farmer has played 605 minutes in net, fifth-most in the Big West and 61st in the country

+ The Anteaters as a team fall within the top 100 nationally in one category, saves per match, averaging 4.00

+ Luis Leon and Mario Ortiz have accounted for all four UCI assists on the year with two each ranking fourth in the conference

+ Matthew Tilley's Saturday goal was his third career, all via headers

+ UCI has two goals each this season from headers and kicks

+ The 57th-minute goal against New Mexico snapped a stretch of 585 minutes the Lobos had gone without allowing a goal

+ Alex Waldron made his collegiate debut on Saturday entering in the 66th minute where he faced three shots, none on goal

+ The team's nine shots on goal vs. Loyola Marymount are the most of the season and ties last season's high in non-conference play. The 'Eaters also had nine shots on goal against LMU in 2015. UCI had 16 and 17 shots on goal in Big West matches last season

+ Michael Sperber will reach 70 career matches with two appearances this week. He would become the eighth Anteater with 80+ career matches should he play in the remaining regular season games