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
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
