IRVINE, Calif. --- A scoreless match was decided with two minutes left on a penalty-kick putback from UC Davis to drop the Anteaters, 1-0, Thursday night in Anteater Stadium.

The bright lights of ESPN3 came in to see a pair of teams unbeaten in Big West play, and the defense led the way for each squad holding the match scoreless through 88 minutes. UC Irvine (8-4-4, 3-0-1) had a big chance to take the early lead in the 15th minute drawing a foul in the box. Senior defender Andrea Mensen came in to take the PK, but her shot was knocked away by UC Davis (4-9-0, 3-0-0) keeper Alexis Davis to keep the sides even.

The Aggies had multiple opportunities early on as well that Maddie Newsom got to keeping the sides even through 45 minutes.

The sides picked up where they left off to start the second half. UC Davis continued to fire up shots as it finished with eight totals shots, seven of them on target. UC Irvine pressured consistently earning 10 of the match's 12 corner kicks.

UCI's best second half chance came in the 74th minute as Noel Baham streaked down the right wing and slid a ball through the box out the other side to Jessica Miclat, but her touch soar just high of the goal to keep the match, 0-0.

Then in the 89th minute, UC Davis got its chance at the penalty spot as Mahlah Catline drew a foul in the box. Mandy McKeegan had a chance to put the game away, but Newsom dove to save her shot as well, however, the rebound fell right back to McKeegan and she would convert by Newsom for the 1-0 lead and eventual winning scoreline.

Newsom finished with six saves while her counterpart, Alexis Smith, saved three as UC Davis stays unbeaten in conference play drawing to within a point of UCI at the top of the table.

The journey continues on Sunday, October 15, as UC Riverside enters also a point shy of UCI with a 2:00 p.m. match in Anteater Stadium.