WAIPI'O, O'ahu --- UC Irvine women's soccer ignited the offense Thursday night at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium behind three
Scarlett Camberos goals to defeat Hawai'i, 4-1.
ATTACKING THIRDS
The story of the night was the UC Irvine (9-4, 4-1) offense and fourth-year forward
Scarlett Camberos. The scoring began in the 19th minute as
Alyssa Moore drove into the box and was upended giving the 'Eaters a penalty chance. Camberos stepped up and buried it for a 1-0 UCI lead.
The scoreline held into the half at 1-0 while the hosts Hawai'i (0-9-3, 0-5-2) led the match at the break in shots and corners.
The second stanza started off with more scoring, this time in the run of play as the Anteaters started the breakout. After an initial attempted was denied,
Desiree Mendoza gathered the ball and shot through traffic finding a lane to goal for the score and the 2-0 lead exactly one minute into the half.
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It didn't take much time to add to the lead, yet again from the penalty spot. Another foul drawn in the box put Camberos back at the spot delivering an identical attempt to convert and put UCI ahead, 3-0, in the 51st minute.
The hat trick was completed in the 68th minute, this time no penalty needed as
Jenae Perez threaded a beautiful through ball to Camberos who needed just one move around the oncoming keeper to put her in for the empty-net tap-in and a 4-0 UCI lead.
FINAL SCORE: UC IRVINE 4, HAWAI'I 1
Camberos' hat trick is the first of her career lifting her UCI goal total to 11 all-time and seven on the year. In program history, it is the 15th hat trick by the 14th different Anteater. The last two hat tricks Anteater players had came a week apart from each other in 2011 when Natalia Ledezma and Lexi Kopf each did so late in Big West play that October.
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Amidst all the commotion from Camberos, Mendoza ended up with the game-winning goal when she put UCI up 2-0. The goal was her second of the season and her career, and both have accounted for game-winners. Three of the four goals were unassisted with Perez registering the lone assists on Camberos' final strike accouting for her first career assist and point.
Hawai'i spoiled the shutout with a goal 34 seconds after UCI's fourth. Nicole Ando whipped in a severe angle shot off the touchline that somehow slipped between Anteater keeper
Glo Hinojosa and the post. It was the first goal allowed by Hinojosa in over six halves of play. She finished with two saves, and was lifted in the 74th minute for
Hannah Roberts making her second collegiate appearance and first as an Anteater. She made two impressive saves as she kept the Rainbow Wahine from scoring any more.
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UC Irvine kept pace with the rest of the conference leaders that all won on the night. With 12 points, UCI remains even with Cal State Fullerton for the final Big West Tournament spot, and trails Long Beach State by one point, Cal Poly by three points, and UC Santa Barbara by four. UCI, however, has at least one game in hand to all four contenders.
SUNDAY SENIORS
The 'Eaters fly back home for their next match back in Anteater Stadium, Sunday, October 17. UCI hosts UC Davis for a 5:00 p.m. kickoff, and will celebrate its 11 seniors with a post-match ceremony in the team's third-to-last regular season home match.
