HONOLULU, Hawai'i --- UC Irvine broke away with a massive fourth period to down Long Beach State Friday afternoon at Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex for an 11-7 win to book their ticket to the Big West Final.
The 'Eaters led from the get-go and never surrendered it on the afternoon. Long Beach State came back to tie the match three times, but a five-goal run over the final two periods cemented the fourth victory for UC Irvine over the Beach.
The Anteaters improve to 21-6 overall and advance on to the Big West Final for the 12th time in program history. For a sixth time, they will battle with Hawai'i who entered as the hosts and No. 1 seed in the tournament.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
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Scoring leaders with three each on the match were Elena Flynn and Isabel Rack
>Flynn added an assist for a match-high four points
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Tara Prentice scored a late goal to keep her scoring streak alive at 28 matches
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Jordan Frost made the start in net earning her second win of the season making three saves
FIRST PERIOD
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Tara Prentice got in early foul trouble with a pair of exclusions within the first three minutes of the match
>UCI started the scoring at the 4:39 mark via
Jessica Lynch
>The Beach tied it up just 13 seconds after the UCI goal
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Elena Flynn grabbed the lead back with a goal 32 seconds later, and the lead grew to 3-1 with a nifty outlet pass from
Jessica Lynch to find
Isabel Rack for her first goal
>Long Beach State battled back with two goals in the final minute of the period including a penalty shot with 14 seconds left to tie it back at 3-3
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SECOND PERIOD
>After a high-scoring first, the sides were held off the scoreboard for the first 3:44 of the second period
>UC Irvine burst ahead 5-3 with goals by
Piper Smith at 4:16 and
Elena Flynn at 3:51
>LBSU's only second period tally can with 38 seconds to play to go into the half a 5-4 Anteater lead
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THIRD PERIOD
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Isabel Rack netted her second goal of the match to start the second half at 6:15 in the third period
>LBSU closed to tie it for a third time with a penalty shot goal at 4:32 and the tying strike at 2:24
>Flynn completed her hat trick with 1:54 left in the period for a 7-6 lead as the match headed to the final stanza
FOURTH PERIOD
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Sarah Nichols made it an 8-6 game 39 seconds into the final period with a backhand shot at center
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Jordan Frost picked up a save in an extended Long Beach State possession preserving the two-goal lead
>UCI scored three times in a 2:28 span to pull away led by
Tara Prentice's long goal at 5:41,
Jessica Lynch on the power play at 4:29, and
Isabel Rack's third at 3:13
NOTES
>The 'Eaters won three of four sprints including two for
Piper Smith now with 83 wins in her career
>UCI's 11 goals keeps up their season average of 12.1 goals per game, the highest season average in program history
>Jordan Forst started just her second match improving to 2-0 in those
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POSTMATCH PRESS CONFERENCE
UP NEXT
The Big West Final is next for UC Irvine with an NCAA Tournament berth on the line. The 'Eaters have now reached the final in 12 of 13 Big West Tournament and will look for their eight tournament title and seventh NCAA berth. Their opponent will be top-seed Hawai'i in the sixth matchup in the final between the schools
