LONG BEACH, Calif. --- UC Irvine women's soccer scored a game-winner from an unlikely source to drop their Black & Blue Series rivals, Long Beach State, Thursday night at George Allen Field for a 1-0 win in overtime.
THE WINNING TOUCH
Through 97 minutes of action Thursday night, the Anteaters and Beach were deadlocked without a goal. The defenses weathered any offensive challenge that arose even as UC Irvine (8-4, 3-1) held advantages in shots, 11-6, and shots on goal, 4-2, but the fifth shot on goal decided the match.
Neither side had put up any chance in the first overtime period aside from a LBSU (6-5-2, 3-1-1) corner kick. The Anteaters returned to the attacking zone with
Scarlett Camberos along the right wing. She would cross a ball into the box finding no one on the other end by a Beach defender, but her cleared was fumbled to a wide-open freshman defender
Kiera Smeenge to slot it back on goal and in to end it; a 1-0 final in the 97th minute of overtime.
FINAL SCORE / OT: UC IRVINE 1, LONG BEACH STATE 0
The win makes a three-match win streak for head coach
Scott Juniper and the Anteaters leaping them right into the regular season title race with nine points and tied for third in the Big West.
"We are winning right now with everyone's efforts," lauded coach Juniper. "Not just the starters, but the finishers and those who didn't step inside the white lines tonight. It's an exciting group of players."
UCI continued its dominance of Long Beach State in Big West play with a record of 8-2-4 against the Beach in regular season play under coach Juniper.
Smeenge with the winner records her first career goal and point going for the game-winner. She is now the sixth different Anteater with a game-winning goal in 2021, 10th different 'Eater with a goal, and 17th to register a point. The points leader,
Scarlett Camberos, added another with the assist on the play to give her 12 along with team highs in goals and assists with four each.
On the defensive end, Smeenge and the backline frustrated Long Beach State handing them their first Big West loss while allowing just six shots and three corners.
Glo Hinojosa picked up her eighth win and second straight shutout for four on the year. She's built a streak of 269 consecutive shutout minutes, and made two more saves in the effort.
UCI spread the love around with eight different Anteaters putting up their 11 shots and five with shots on goal. LBSU keeper Zora Standifer turned away four shots in the losing effort.
HEADED TO HAWAI'I
The Anteaters now have a week until they return to the pitch with another road trip on the agenda; this time heading overseas to Hawai'i on Thursday, October 14. The match will kick off at 10:00 p.m. Pacific Time as the Rainbow Wahine have drawn two straight and are searching for their first win of 2021.
