Late Goal Trips Up UC Irvine, 1-0

Saturday, October 14

Irvine, Calif.

6:00 PM

UC Irvine

5-6-3, 2-3-1

CSUN

3-6-6, 1-3-2

Team	1	2	Final F
CSUN	0	1	1
UC Irvine	0	0	0

Photo by: Matt Brown

Late Goal Trips Up UC Irvine, 1-0

October 14, 2023 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Alex Roberts-Croteau

IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine men's soccer could not take advantage of a first-half red card in a 1-0 loss Saturday night in Anteater Stadium to CSUN.

CSUN 1, UC IRVINE 0

UCI jumped on the attack early and often with a four first half shots, a pair from Jake Means that just missed high - once in the third minute and again in the 21st minute
Luke Pruter was put to the test with a save in the 34th minute, one of his two saves in the match
The 43rd minute was when the match turned on its head with a straight red card issued to CSUN's Jack Rhead putting them a man down for the final 47 minutes
The second half began with the score still 0-0, and the 'Eaters went right to work with a pair of shots on target by Ricardo Ibarra in the first five minutes
The chances kept coming as the 'Eaters held the possession advantage in each half for a total of 69% in the match
CSUN had a flourish in the 70th minute putting up three shots and a pair of corner kicks looking to steal a goal, but the defense held including a save for Pruter
The 'Eaters continued to hover around the goal with chance after chance and near goals from Mario Anaya on a blast from 30 yards in the 77th minute
Noah Clarkson had the ball near the six-yard box on a pair of occasions with one sliding just far of the right post and another destined for goal snagged on a leap by CSUN keeper Merrick Cook
With all the Anteater chances, they could not find the back of the net, and worse even, the Matadors down to 10 men did in the 89th minute. A ball was cleared out to Jamar Ricketts who won it and ran the length of the pitch cutting into the box and firing a shot off Pruter and inside the left post for the game-winner with 68 seconds left on the clock
UCI finished with 15 shots to CSUN's six, they put four on target all saved, and had a 4-2 edge in corner kicks

Jake Means close to making it 1-0 for the Anteaters! #TWZ pic.twitter.com/CmAwwFIkFp
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) October 15, 2023

Pruter with his first save of the game! #RipEm pic.twitter.com/jYBgqcCfPk
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) October 15, 2023

Great save by Pruter to deny CSUN from their first! #RipEm pic.twitter.com/pYpxKAg1K9
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) October 15, 2023

Anaya inches away from Irvines first! #TWZ pic.twitter.com/P6ibahGKxO
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) October 15, 2023

Another close shot from Clarkson #TWZ pic.twitter.com/Uc1G1uiZRQ
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) October 15, 2023

The Anteaters are unable to pick up any points and create any separation in the crowded Big West standings still at seven points (2-3-1) and in a four-way tie for fifth place along with a 5-6-3 overall record. CSUN jumps up to five points now 1-3-2 in Big West play and snap their nine-match winless streak to go to 3-6-6 on the season.

UC Irvine returns to Anteater Stadium for their next match on Wednesday, October 18, kicking off at 6:00 p.m. against Cal Poly