IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine men's soccer reversed an early deficit on a night it honored its senior class and got them three big points over CSU Bakersfield with a 2-1 win Wednesday night in Anteater Stadium.
GIFT EXCHANGE
Prior to Wednesday's match, the Anteaters honored six seniors in a ceremony on the field. Fourth-year players
Ricardo Ibarra,
Kwabena Boateng,
Oscar Cervantes, and
Eddy Berumen were joined by their families on the pitch, and rounding out the crew were senior
Ashish Chattha and grad transfer
Robert Mejia.
As the match got underway, it was the visitor CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners (2-11-2, 0-6-1) that had their own celebration. A ball into UCI's defensive third was challenged inside the edge of the box with
Mario Anaya fouling CSUB's attacker leading to a penalty try. Carlos Armendariz at the spot beat
Luke Pruter to his left for a 1-0 Roadrunner lead in the seventh minute.
After allowing the first two shots of the match, UC Irvine (3-11-1, 3-3-0) fired the next seven with numerous kept out by the fantastic exploits of CSUB keeper Filippo Dadone, but UCI found ray of light in the 19th minute.
Playing within their own third,
Mario Anaya uncorked a long lead ball to
Francesco Montanile along the left wing, and he was able to slot a ball across the face of goal perfectly to
Jake Means who slammed a goal home to tie things at 1-1.
HEAD STRONG
The second half began with a third goal on the very first shot. The 'Eaters earned a pair of corner kicks with the second staying in play and headed back and forth between the teams. Second half substitute
Robert Mejia leaped highest heading his ball right along to
Francesco Montanile who redirected it through traffic and by everyone for the go-ahead goal and make it 2-1 UCI in the 51st minute.
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FINAL SCORE: UC IRVINE 2, CSU BAKERSFIELD 1
A quick shot shortly after the goal was the only response CSUB could muster as the Anteater defense denied anything for the Runners in a match UCI who on shots as well, 18-4.
UCI keeper
Luke Pruter did not register a save for the first time in his career as the only CSUB shot on target was the PK strike. Dadone on the other side for CSUB picked up seven saves on his end.
Montanile contributed on both goals on the evening with the goal and as assist raising him to six points on the year and tied atop the team lead. The goal was his fourth in his career and second game-winner. Other assists went to
Mario Anaya, his team-best fourth this season, and Mejia now with two to go with four points.
Means put home the equalizer in the first half, his second this season and fifth on his career as UCI puts multiple goals across for the third time in 2022.
The win provides an immense boost to UC Irvine's postseason hopes now 3-3 in Big West play on nine points with a game in hand. The nine points puts them level with UC San Diego and Sacramento State for the last tournament spot. UCI also has a three-match win streak in Anteater Stadium with one home match left on the schedule in the regular season.
Up next is a date at CSUN Saturday evening with kickoff at 7:00 p.m. and the Anteaters looking up at the Matadors in the standings behind by four points.
