FIRST TOUCHES
1.11 - The Anteaters have drifted to the top of the conference defensively with an overall goals-against-average of 1.11 led by the conference's leader in GAA, Alex Waldron, at 0.766

12 - UCI has run its streak to 12 straight matches with a goal dating back to 2016. The 'Eaters have outscored opponents 23-18 in that span with an overall record of 6-4-2, but 2-4-0 away from home

3-0-1 -  UC Irvine has faced off with four opponents this season (NKU, Penn State, UNC Asheville, Lipscomb) that they had not previously faced in program history. The 'Eaters went 3-0-1 in those matches outscoring them 11-4

LAST WEEK RECAP
The Anteaters took a seven-day hiatus finally playing Monday night back in Anteater Stadium.
 
UC Irvine and Lipscomb played a pretty even half of soccer as the sides remained scoreless all the way until the 64th minute as Giovanni Godoy's deflected shot found the net. The Anteaters added goals from Mario Ortiz in the 79th minute and Christian Carrillo from the penalty spot in the 84th minute to seal a 3-0 victory.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
UC Irvine returns to some familiar faces in a week that will feature a pair of West Coast Conference opponents and the Anteaters playing three matches in six days piggybacking off the Monday night victory against Lipscomb.
 
The 'Eaters reprise their rivalry with LMU on Thursday, the 25th match between the two which second-most against a non-conference foe in program history just behind the 26 against USD. This is the fourth straight season the squads have matched up with LMU winning most recently in 2016, 1-0 in Anteater Stadium. The last meeting at LMU was a 3-2 Anteater victory in 2OT snapping a four-match losing streak at Sullivan Field. In 2017, home is the only place LMU has had any success with a draw and its only win coming there, those of course coming against common opponents UNC Asheville (W, 2-0) and Penn State (T, 1-1). Elsewhere, the Lions have struggled to a 1-5-2 winless away from home including one-goal losses at UC Davis and Sac State. Alvaro Madrigal commands the offense with 32 shots and a pair of goals already. Francis Avoce has also buried two goals as 25 different field players have seen the pitch. Collin Partee has been a mainstay in goal playing all but 22 minutes and saving 46 shots.
 
The Anteaters then return to Anteater Stadium Sunday playing the second half of a doubleheader with the women. San Francisco will travel down following a Friday match vs. San Jose State to kickoff at 4:30 p.m. Sunday for the first time since 2002. The Dons have struggled to a 1-7 record with a lone 2-1 win at San Diego State. Recent one-goal losses to Stanford and Cal are a step in the right direction, but they've allowed three or more goals in six matching including to UC Davis and Cal State Fullerton. The Dons have kept up with their opponent nearly even on shots and have earned more corners with the charge led by Leon Schwarzer's three goals and a pair each from Sean Bowman, Bryce Kaminski, and Santiago DiGiuseppe. Schwarzer along with Bar Twito and Manny Padilla have actually played every minute. Ruben Stuiver has stopped 25 shots while allowing 20 goals in his seven starts.

RISING TO THE OCCASION
The Anteaters made a big statement last weekend in New Mexico taking down No. 8 Denver, 1-0. The Pioneers were the eighth top-10 opponent UCI has ever beaten with all eight coming away from home and six via a shutout. UCI ran its all-time record to 20-24-6 against ranked foes.
 
In the process, UC Irvine earned some credibility for itself climbing into one set of national rankings when it was named No. 23 according to TopDrawerSoccer.com. It was the first time the program had been ranked since September 4, 2015, and in the process, losses for Denver against the Anteaters and CSUN bumped Denver completely out of the United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer Top 25 rankings. UCI doesn't have any remaining opponents currently in the Top 25, and Louisville remains as the only other ranked foe at No. 10.

THROW-INS
+ The Anteaters offense has scored in 12 straight matches dating back to October of 2016
+ In the first 23 minutes of the half, the Anteaters are outscoring their opponents 12-1. In the final 22 minutes of the half, UCI's opponents outscore them 7-2
+ The Anteaters were briefly ranked last week coming in at No. 23 according to TopDrawerSoccer.com. UCI did not play a match before the new rankings came out on Monday where it was left off
+ The 'Eaters are 38-42-3 all-time against the WCC
+ UCI and LMU squared off every season from 1984-1994 with the Anteaters winning every match during that time and scoring at least three goals in every match
+ Since 2000, UCI is 1-2 at LMU winning in 2014 (3-2) and falling in 2001 (1-0) and 2000 (3-2) with two of the matches going to OT
+ UCI have met once in Anteater Stadium in 2000 (W, 1-0) and once at USF in 1993 (L, 4-2)
+ The Anteaters lead the Big West Conference in assists, points, and average two goals per match, tied for the conference best
+ Alex Waldron leads Big West keepers in GAA (0.766). Together with Greg Patenaude, Anteater keepers have a conference-best 1.11 goals-against-average
+ Waldron's PK save vs. New Mexico was the 2nd of his career. UC Irvine keepers have saved 5 of the last 9 penalty kick opportunities dating back to 2015
+ Brothers Mario Ortiz and Jose Ortiz linked up on a goal for the first time in their careers in the 11th minute vs. New Mexico. They did it again Monday night on Mario's 79th minute goal vs. Lipscomb
+ Head Coach Yossi Raz and New Mexico head coach Jeremy Fishbein were each issued a red card in the 67th minute Sunday vs. UNM. Assistant coach Matt O'Sullivan stood in for Raz as he honored his suspension in Monday night's 3-0 victory vs. Lipscomb
+ The Big West South has a very connected coaching tree. Head Coach Yossi Raz spent nine years as an assistant coach at CSUN in addition to his time as a student-athlete for the program. Assistant Brian Lanoye spent eight years with Cal State Fullerton as an assistant coach along with a grad and undergrad assistant. Cal State Fullerton's head coach, George Kuntz, spent 19 seasons as head coach for the Anteaters and is joined by former Anteater coach and player, Carlos Aguilar, and another fellow player, Kyle Schmid. UC Riverside recently hired Chris Volk as its assistant coach after Volk spent 20 years as a coach with the UC Irvine program which included 17 years as an assistant coach and the last three years as the head coach.