IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine women's soccer scored its first win of the season behind first career goals from a pair of underclassmen to drop Northern Colorado, 2-0, Sunday evening in Anteater Stadium.
Packing A Punch
Off the bat, the Anteaters (1-3-0) had a different vibe going into Sunday's match as true freshman
Taesja Paopao got her first career match and start between the pipes. She was tested early making a couple of saves in the 10th minute. Kaitlyn Meeder took a chance near post that Paopao had to deflect off the post and out. Maddie Duren put the ball back on frame after the rebound eventually found her, and Paopao was able to grab it to keep things scoreless
On The Board
The 'Eaters countered quickly after in the 14th minute with the match's opening goal. Northern Colorado (0-3-1) turned the ball over in their own half giving
Jessica Miclat the ball in the middle of the pitch. She fed ahead to
Scarlett Camberos who came barreling down the right wing and poked a shot through UNC keeper Taylor Washington to make it 1-0, Anteaters
UCI added to its lead in the 36th minute.
Kala McDaniel launched a feed from nearly the midfield line perfectly finding
Aleah Kelley to head it on frame. Washington denied it knocking the ball toward the left side of the box, and
Alex Jaquez would jump on it and flip it back into the mixer. It lofted up and over the leaping Washington, and
Julia Gonzalez's head was on the other end guiding it home to make it 2-0, Anteaters
Final Score: UC Irvine 2, Northern Colorado 0
UCI collects its first win of 2019 and first goals. The win is Paopao's first ever in her first match saving four of the five UNC put up. UCI needed just nine shots with five on frame, three saved by Washington. Miclat, Kelley, and Jaquez all earned assists on the goals with Jaquez's assist as her first as an Anteater.
"Tonight was kind of an icebreaker," described
Scarlett Camberos. "We can move forward, in a way, our first win and my first goal was like breaking a spell."
Camberos and Gonzalez Talk About Their Goals
Both goals on the evening were the first career for each Anteater. Camberos' came in her 23rd career match doubling as her first point and first game-winning goal. She nearly added a second clanging the crossbar with the header in the 77th minute.
"I'd been thinking about it since last night - I have to score my first goal today I just have to - and then once I got the ball I knew this was it and I made it happen. A lot of people were telling me it was today. It was long overdue."
Gonzalez had told Camberos before the game that she was going to score today, and then Gonzalez's got one of her own also putting home her first goal and point in just her third career game coming a little over one minute after she was subbed into the match.
"My goal happened so slowly. I looked at Aleah because she was there too, and it landed right in front of me, and I don't remember anything after just Aleah screaming in my face and hugging me. It was surreal. I think that was my first header goal ever. Especially after redshirting last season, this is my first season playing so getting a goal just shows me that I can score and what I'm hear to do."
On To Arizona
The 'Eaters end their three-match homestand with a win, the 130th of coach Juniper's tenure, and head back on the road where they started the season. Next up is a trip to Tucson, Arizona for two matches. Friday, September 6 will be a 4:00 p.m. neutral site match against Arizona State, and then UCI plays the host, Arizona, on Sunday, September 8, at 1:00 p.m.
