rask-chavez-uci-wsoc-2022-nicholls
Cesar Landeros
1
Nicholls NICH (0-4-1, 0-0-0)
5
Winner UC Irvine UCI (2-1-1, 0-0-0)
Nicholls NICH
(0-4-1, 0-0-0)
1
Final
5
UC Irvine UCI
(2-1-1, 0-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Nicholls NICH 1 0 1
UC Irvine UCI 2 3 5

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Alex Roberts-Croteau

Anteaters Spread Scoring in 5-1 Win

IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine women's soccer got back in the win column with a 5-1 trouncing of Nicholls Tuesday evening in Anteater Stadium.

FAST AND FURIOUS
The scoring didn't wait very long with the first tally coming just 86 seconds into the match. The 'Eaters (2-1-1) held the early possession, and a chip into the box from Destinee Manzo found Desiree Mendoza who cut inside for a sharp, left-footed shot and in for a 1-0 UCI lead.
 
Nicholls (0-4-1) didn't let that deficit linger too long and got a chance to answer in the 15th minute. A foul right at the edge of the box drawn by Rami Mitchell put her on the ball. Her shot careened off the Anteater wall and found its way inside the right post to tie the match at 1-1.

UCI had the final say in the half taking the lead back in the 29th minute. A trip in the box at the other end inside the box put the Anteaters on the spot, and Tati Fung stepped up and hammered home the goal to make it 2-1 where it was stay going into the half.
 
FINISHING TOUCHES
UC Irvine really put the scoring into high gear in the second half. Just two-and-a-half minutes into the half, the trio that accounted for the first half goals teamed up for the team's third. Desiree Mendoza and Tati Fung connected in the midfield to push the attack. Fung slotted a pass across the top of the box to Manzo who created space and buried a shot for the 48th minute goal and a 3-1 lead.
 
The Anteaters smelled blood and pushed for another. In the 58th minute, one of UCI's 13 corners fell into the box that was cleared back to Fung. She again found the open Anteater, and Lilli Rask punched her first touch over the keeper and under the bar for a perfectly-placed strike and a 4-1 lead.
 
The scoring was completed in the 67th minute as freshman Ella Colombini danced around the offensive third. Her through ball caught Alex Jaquez who turned and slipped a shot by for the final goal and a 5-1 lead.
 
FINAL SCORE: UC IRVINE 5, NICHOLLS 1
UCI more than doubled their goal output for the season with five on the night, and all five coming from different scorers. The 'Eaters finished with a 22-3 shot advantage, and put up all 13 corner kicks for the second match of 13 or more corners taken already this season.

Tati Fung was awarded the game-winner as also her first goal and point as an Anteater. She added two assists for a four-point night.

"For our team, this is only the beginning of where we can reach. I'm just happy that we all came together as a unit. It helps because I know where my teammates are going to be which is the best position for me to feed them, so I think it's just the chemistry that we have between each other."

Manzo and Mendoza joined her with multi-point nights adding a goal and assist each. Rask and Jaquez each netted balls as defenders as Rask mentioned in her postgame thoughts.

"It was a really special night. It was really cool that Alex Jaquez and myself, two defenders that used to be forwards, got in on the goal scoring. It was just a really good collective, team effort. I thought it took everybody, and it was really cool seeing freshmen and some underclassmen getting big minutes. Overall, it wasn't just me and Alex, obviously it was a good, collective win."

One of those freshmen reaping the benefits was Ella Colombini assisting on Jaquez's goal for her first career point. Other firsts included a quintet of Anteaters who made their collegiate debuts on the pitch as subs in Niko Hadzibabic, Alyssa Wheeler, Mirayah Villalpando, Emilie Castagna, and Halli Stewart. Aislynn Crowder also got a first as her first appearance in the starting lineup for the 'Eaters putting in nearly 70 minutes. In all, 29 of the 39 rostered Anteaters saw action on the night.

Glo Hinojosa was back to her old self snagging the win while collecting one save along with the deflected goal allowed. On the other side, keepers Reagan Carter and Elixabeth Zepeda were busy stopping eight shots between them.

The schedule continues with another home match this Friday, September 2, as UCI and San Jose State kick off at 7:30 p.m. right after men's soccer plays at 5:00 p.m.    
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