IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine women's soccer engaged in a defensive battle holding Cal State Fullerton scoreless for the first time all season Friday night in a 0-0 draw inside Anteater Stadium.

Testing the Waters
UCI (3-10-1, 2-1-1) came out in the first half looking to slow down a potent Cal State Fullerton (10-2-2, 3-0-1) offense that entered the match averaging just over two goals per game. Their defense would deliver keeping the Titans to just three shots, none of them on target in the first 45 minutes.

The 'Eaters challenged Fullerton keeper Noa Schumacher logging five shots, three of which were on goal. Jessica Miclat directed a pair of shots on target, but nothing found the net as the sides entered the half scoreless.

Full Force
The Titans were aggressive to begin the second half putting constant pressure on the defense. The Anteaters were able to continue their stellar defensive play holding CSF to five shots.

The 'Eaters had a golden opportunity in the 74th minute in Titan territory, but Destinee Manzo's shot bounced just by the far post.

The Titans had the match's best opportunity with a free kick set up just outside the box in the 82nd minute. Maddie Newsom dove to her left and made a spectacular save to preserve the tie denying Atlanta Primus, and the match needed overtime for the fourth time in the last six meetings.

Extra Effort
Each team threatened in the first overtime period as the pace picked up, but none of the shots fell. The pace steadied in the final overtime period, but nothing materialized until the final two minutes. Cal State Fullerton had consecutive corner kicks to find a winner, but the 'Eater defense turned them away ending the Big West contest, 0-0

Final Score: UC Irvine 0, Cal State Fullerton 0
The stats showed an even match throughout. UCI had slim edges in shots, 10-9 and shots on goal, 4-2, and the 'Eaters had a clear corner kick advantage throughout that narrowed to 6-5 by match's end. In addition, the 'Eaters had the advantage in possession overall which was at 60% through regulation.

The Titans have now gone three straight without losing to UCI with two ties and a loss in that span. Its the seventh draw in the series in the 30th meeting all-time tonight.

Dazzling Defense
Maddie Newsom and the Anteater backline were the stars of the show Friday night which included Piper Wurth making her first career start. Newsom started her 70th career match, tying her coach Danielle de Seriere for most in a career by a UCI keeper. She registered a shutout for the 20th time in her career becoming just the third Anteater to do that as well as UCI is the first team all season to shutout Cal State Fullerton.

"I'm so proud of all the numbers," exclaimed a proud Maddie Newsom in between breaths. "Coach D set the bar super high, and I'm so glad to have her as my coach because she pushes me along with all of our goalkeepers. They all push me to reach to records, and every game its getting one step closer and one step better as a team."

Newsom finished with two saves on the evening as she's one away from reaching 250 over a career, and had the biggest one of all keeping the match scoreless late in regulation.

"The foul was called and I immediately thought of what coach tells us - to have every single person's back. I wasn't going to lose this game for the team, and I made the right step and made the save and showed I had everyone's back just like I know they have mine. 250 saves, it could be way more than that, but the defenders and midfielders in front of me do such a good job and I have to give credit to them for their part in that and everything that we do."

The defensive fleet for UC Irvine did their job for sure holding the conference's leader in shots and corners to nine and five, respectively, on top of the first shutout handed to the Titans. They also halted their short three-match win streak with the draw which does extend their unbeaten run to 10 matches.

"Not the result we wanted, but we'll take it and keep moving on through conference. We got to hope to get the W on Thursday, that's all we can do is focus on the next one."
 
The result does give UC Irvine seven points halfway through Big West play settling them all alone in fourth place. CSF remains atop with 10 points with Hawai'i and CSUN on their tail with nine points each. UCI holds a one-point lead on fifth place UC Santa Barbara.

UC Irvine will take some time until they get back in the Big West mixer playing at CSUN Thursday, October 24, for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.