IRVINE, Calif. --- The Anteater senior class put their stamp on Senior Night Thursday night in Anteater Stadium accounting for all three goals in a 3-0 shutout win over CSUN.
The scoring started in the 13th minute on a wondergoal from the corner.
Reema Bzeih launched her corner high into the box scraping it off the far post and in for an Olimpico putting the 'Eaters (8-5-3, 4-0-2) on top, 1-0.
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The seniors kept in ringing in the 21st minute thanks to sharpshooter
Shelby Lee. Her fourth goal in the last five matches came after a set piece launched into the box by
Jonnae Joseph. A CSUN defender knocked the ball right into Lee's path, and she would send it back on net inside the far post and past the diving CSUNÂ keeper
Amanda Delgado for a quick 2-0 lead.
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The final strike to finish off a three-goal half came from a senior emerging for her first goal since her sophomore season in 2015. Another Bzeih corner tipped off the keeper's hand and Anteater
Kelsee Pottorff before
Alex Karlowitsch pounced on it and knocked into the top of the net for a 3-0 advantage heading into the half for the 'Eaters.
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The second half was mostly defense save for a couple CSUNÂ (6-6-1, 2-3-0) chances, and Bzeih nearly putting home a second Olimpico that was punched away by Delgado as the 'Eaters surged to a 3-0 victory and keep its conference record spotless at 4-0-2.
Keeper
Maddie Newsom made three saves in the match, the second of which early in the second half counted as her 200th career save making her the fourth keeper in Anteater history to reach it. She shared the shutout on the night with redshirt sophomore
Madi Puliafico celebrating her senior night by making her collegiate debut playing out the final minutes of the win. CSUN's Delgado stopped two shots on her end.
The game-winning goal was registered to Bzeih now with both of her career goals accounting for game-winners. Lee fired home goal seven of her career lifting her career point total to 18. Karlowitsch's first goal since 2015 was also the fourth of her career as she now has 23 career points. Another senior got into the action as Pottorff accounted for an assist on Karlowitsch's goal, the fourth of her career.
Nine of the 10 Anteater seniors made an appearance in the final regular season home match including
Elizabeth Hutchison,
Lili Andino, and
Jonnae Joseph in the starting XI, and
Isabella Gutierrez came on late with Puliafico for her fourth career match with the 'Eaters entering on the backline and putting up a threatening shot in the final minute.
UC Irvine continues its ascent toward a postseason berth unbeaten in its last eight matches now at 6-0-2. It sits atop the Big West standings with 14 points, four clear of all other competition.
The Anteaters head out on the road for the remainder of the 2018 starting Sunday night at Long Beach State, the squad chasing the 'Eaters in second place. The Black and Blue Rivalry Series kicks off at 6:00 p.m. Sunday night, Oct. 21.
NOTES: The 3 goals in a match tie a season high for the 'Eaters, both matches featured all 3 goals in one half for UCI which hadn't happened since 2015 prior...the 'Eaters remaining unbeaten (3-0-0) in their pink jerseys...the win snapped a string of five straight matches that the 'Eaters played into overtime...the senior class won its 20th career match in Anteater Stadium
