Big West Barrage Begins at Home with Hornets, Aggies
September 26, 2016 | Men's Soccer
UPCOMING OPPONENTS
Sacramento State Hornets at UC Irvine Anteaters
Thursday, September 29, 2016 - 7:00 PM
Anteater Stadium - Irvine, Calif.
Live Stats | Tickets | Program
UC Davis Aggies at UC Irvine Anteaters
Saturday, October 1, 2016 - 7:00 PM
Anteater Stadium - Irvine, Calif.
Live Stats | Tickets | Program
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FIRST KICKS
+ UC Irvine opens Big West play at home for the second straight season and the fourth time in the last six years
+ UCI last won its Big West opener at home in 2013 when it defeated Cal Poly (2-0); its last win in the opener to Big West play was 2010 with a defeat of UC Riverside (3-0)
+ Since joining the Big West, UCI and Sacramento State have squared off five times with the 'Eaters winning three. In Anteater Stadium, UC Irvine is 6-3, 1-1 in conference matches
+ UCI has been shutout just once to Sac State (2010), and the programs have reached overtime just twice (1996, 2008) with each match ending in a draw
+ Last year's match featured a season-high 28 shots and 17 shots on target by the Anteaters
+ Since UC Davis entered the Big West in 2007, they hold a 7-5-2 edge over the Anteaters.
+ In Anteater Stadium, UCI is 7-5-2 against UCD, 3-4-1 in conference. The Aggies have not scored in Anteater Stadium since 2012, a span of 223 minutes
+ Since 2000, UC Davis has shutout the 'Eaters once (2013)
+ The matchup has gone to overtime nine times with each of the last three (2009, 2011, 2015) being won by the Aggies
+ The Anteaters as a team fall within the top 100 nationally in one category, saves per match, averaging 3.89
+ UCI leads the conference in fouls per match (16.7 per match) and offside calls (26)
+ Sac State runs middle of the pack in most categories except assists per game, second with 1.62, and shutouts, eighth with just one.
+ UC Davis has a 0.89 goals-against-average to lead the Big West, and it also takes the second-most shots at 13 per match
LAST TIME OUT
UC Irvine got a big win to halt a four-match losing streak to start last week with all of it caught on the Pac-12 Network at Oregon State. After a scoreless first half, the Beavers would make the first move drawing a red card in the 53rd minute to drop to 10 men. UCI would answer quickly with a highlight-reel goal in the 55th minute from Mario Ortiz. OSU earned a penalty kick in the 75th minute looking to equalize, but freshman keeper Alex Waldron made the save to preserve the 1-0 win and his first career win and shutout in his first start between the pipes for the Anteaters
The weekend ended on a sour note to the tune of a 4-1 loss at Portland. Giovanni Godoy slotted home a penalty kick in the 81st minute to draw the Pilots closer, but a 90th minute goal would seal the game and a split of the weekend.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Big West play begins at home for UC Irvine starting Thursday night with Sacramento State. The Hornets are 4-3-1 and unbeaten in their last four running through Portland, LMU, and upsetting No. 15 Utah Valley. Sac State dropped UCI in OT last year after losing twice in Irvine the year before. Seniors Ivan Ramirez and Alex Bettencourt have manned the offense with four goals each and four assists as well to Ramirez. The team's 14 assists ranks 37th nationwide, but they also are among the top 20 with 18 yellow cards and two reds.
UC Davis comes in Saturday with a 4-3-2 record with a win over Portland and loss at LMU. UCI fell in OT last year, but have won the last two at home. The Aggies lead the nation in yellow cards, and their defense is strong ranking top 35 in GAA and shutouts in front of senior Armando Quezada. Three of the team's nine goals have come from the penalty spot with two from sophomore Kristian Heptner whose 23 shots lead the squad.
Ledger Legends
The 'Eaters come out of non-conference play at 2-7, but a battle-tested 2-7 that saw the 16th-toughest non-conference schedule in the nation. UCI endured the 19th-strongest in 2015 en route to five wins. Only UCI and Cal Poly have faced schedules even within the 50 toughest in the Big West. Currently, the conference stands as the eighth-best in the NCAA.
Work Rate
The Anteaters improved to 17-46-10 all-time against the Pac-12 with its win Thursday at Oregon State, and under Volk, the team is now 2-1-1. They are also 1 of 13 opponents within the top-100 RPI so far. Sac State and UC Davis this week will prove to be important each rated as two of the highest in the Big West thus far.
Formation Format
After a lot of movement in the lineup early on, UCI kept a familiar group together over the weekend. No 'Eater has played all 810 minutes, but three have logged over 700 minutes in Matthew Tilley, Noah Gaines, and Thomas Janjigian.
Overcompensation
UCI has yet to reach overtime despite eight overtime matches in 2015. UCI's first nine games this season have all ended in regulation, the longest such stretch to begin the year since 2010 when overtime wasn't reached until game 10.
THROW-INS
+ Alex Waldron made his collegiate debut Saturday vs. UNM. Thursday was his first start earning his first win, save, and shutout to defeat Oregon State on the road, 1-0
+ Alex Waldron's penalty kick save in the 75th minute marks the second PK save in the last three chances for UCI keepers - Elliot Farmer saved a PK attempt vs. CSUN in the 89th minute of their match at UC Irvine in 2015
+ Michael Sperber played his 70th career match Sunday. Two more starts will give him 70 for his career and make him the 11th Anteater to reach that mark
+ UCI was called offside 10 times at Oregon State, the most in the last three years eclipsing the nine vs. CSUF in 2013
+ Mario Ortiz's goal on Thursday was the fourth of his career, the third that's been a game-winner, and first since October of 2014
+ Ortiz's goal came in the 55th minute, which is the earliest in a match he's scored a goal, his other three have come in the 56th, 76th, and 85th minutes
+ Five of the Anteaters' six goals this year have come in the second half. Under Volk, the team has scored just 19 of their 66 goals in the first half
+ Giovanni Godoy broke Sunday's shutout with a penalty kick goal in the 81st minute, it was the first successful PK goal for the 'Eaters since October 22, 2014 scored by Eduardo Calzada
+ Thomas Janjigian assisted on his seventh career goal in Thursday's win, he is currently the program's active leader in assists
+ The squad's 150 fouls committed ranks second in the nation (George Washington - 152)
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