IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine welcomed undefeated Oregon State for a Thursday afternoon match, and put up a late charge, but in the end fell to the Beavers, 2-1, in Anteater Stadium.

DOWN BUT NOT OUT
UCI (4-3) had a majority of the chances through the first half, even outshooting Oregon State (7-0), 6-3. Beaver keeper Bridgette Skiba needed to make four saves in the half while Glo Hinojosa made a save and got help from her backline on another.

Oregon State put up eight corners, and converted on one in the 40th minute. Laura Galceran laced a ball into the box that bounced around before finding Amaya Bautista to emphatically head it home and put OSU up, 1-0.

FAST AND FURIOUS
The offenses continued to cook as the second half began. Through 15 minutes, already 11 shots had been taken, and each keeper continued to rack up saves.

The Beavers extended the lead in the 78th minute taking advantage of a miscue. The ball was lofted high on the left side of the box as the 'Eaters tried to clear, but instead looped a ball right to Valerie Tobias who volleyed ball back on net over Hinojosa for a 2-0 lead.

UCI returned fire on the attack scoring in the 86th minute to close the gap. Amber Huff flung a low corner into the six-yard box that found Laila El Behery to tip home a goal and make it a 2-1 game.

More pressure came down the final minutes, but not equalizer as the Beavers hung on for the win.

FINAL SCORE: OREGON STATE 2, UC IRVINE 1
An evenly-played match on the stat sheet saw UCI with a 13-11 shot advantage and both sides with seven on frame. A total of 23 corner kicks were eanred, 12 going to UCI, and fouls were 8-6 to the Beavers with each receiving one yellow.

El Behery's goal was her second of the season while Huff scored her first point of 2021 with the assist. Hinojosa took the loss while stopping four shots.

The loss ends UCI's string of seven straight unbeaten in Anteater Stadium dating back to 2019.

Making her 2021 debut was fourth-year defender Piper Wurth entering early in the second half. Jenae Perez also entered playing alongside her twin sister, Mihaela, for the final six minutes of the match now for a total of 21 minutes of play together this year

BACK IN THE PAC
The 'Eaters now have a week until their next match, again playing midday and midweek with another Pac-12 opponent heading to Cal for a 2:00 p.m. kickoff on Thursday, September 16