HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. --- UC Irvine left no doubt Sunday afternoon securing its first win of the season and first on the Division I level for head coach Yossi Raz with a resounding 5-2 victory over Northern Kentucky at NKU Soccer Stadium.

The Anteaters (1-1) turned on the jets from the get-go scoring four times in the first 20 minutes. Freshman Alvaro Quezada started it off in the fourth minute as a corner kick into the box fell to an unmarked Quezada who turned and fired for the 1-0 lead. UCI added to it in the seventh minute as Luis Leon laced a shot from the top of the box that slipped through NKU keeper Jim Barkei's mitts to make it 2-0.

The team came together for a brilliant passing attack in the 14th minute as goalscorers Quezada and Leon came together to set up Giovanni Godoy streaking to the right post and tapping one in to make it 3-0. The fourth Anteater goal was credited to Northern Kentucky (1-1) as a defender redirected a cross into his own goal making it 4-0 UCI in the 19th minute.

The scoring subsided for the moment as UCI took its four-goal advantage into the half while the defense held up their end of the bargain by not allowing a single shot in the first 45.

The Anteaters added a fifth goal early in the second stanza as Daniel Crisostomo found an open Ivan Canales who would finish to grow the lead to 5-0 in the 55th minute. This came right after a big stop on the defensive end as Greg Patenaude denied a penalty kick opportunity by Harvey Moyes on the 52nd minute and the rebound to preserve his shutout.

NKU would get another try at the spot in the 70th minute after Patenaude committed a foul in the box, and Rikard Lindqvist would not miss to draw it to 5-1. Lindqvist would put NKU back into the match a minute later as Luis Leon's shot careened off the crossbar, and NKU would race down the other side of the pitch and answer. Lindqvist chipped a ball around Patenaude off the post, but collected his rebound to shrink the deficit to 5-2 in the 70th minute.

The match leveled out from there finishing out with a 5-2 victory for the Anteaters. Head Coach Yossi Raz picked up his first career Division I victory at the helm of UC Irvine.

Other firsts came for Alvaro Quezada scoring his first goal. Ateno Ajeakwa and Erick Gallinar each earned their first assists of their careers. Luis Leon gathered a goal and assist in the match while Godoy's goal stood as the game-winner.

Patenaude picked up his first career win and penalty save stopping two shots in total. Ajeakwa made his first career start on the backline in front of Patenaude, and a few other 'Eaters made their collegiate debuts as subs in Christian Bond-Flasza and Guy Dankovich.

UCI outshot NKU 26-6 in the match, and also came away with the advantage in corners, 6-4.

The Anteaters return to California for their home opener as a part of two matches next week. Friday, Sept. 1 will pit them against Penn State and Sunday, Sept. 3 they welcome in UNC Asheville. Both matches will begin at 7:00 p.m., and will be the second half of a doubleheader with the women's squad.