IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine women's soccer battled for 90 minutes against UC Davis inside Anteater Stadium, but could not find their scoring touch falling, 1-0, Thursday night.
UC DAVIS 1, UC IRVINE 0
- The match had implications for both sides with UCI still an outside shot at hosting their first round Big West Championship match while UC Davis could jump up and earn and first round bye or the No. 1 seed and Big West title
- The Aggies had that in mind off the start with shots early and often. Glo Hinojosa made her first save in the sixth minute after a corner was cleared and returned to the box that Risa Yamada ran onto from near the touchline
- The 'Eaters came back with chances as Lilli Rask put one on target in the 21st minute and Chloe Ragon followed shortly after with a miss just wide of the post
- A late chance by Laila El Behery needed saving as the match went to the half scoreless
- UC Irvine was pushing to start the second half with the first three shots including an incredible leaping save by UCD keeper Caeley Goldstein to deny Chloe Ragon's return header
- The Aggies found the match's first goal on a breakout started in the 62nd minute. A ball out wide to Leslie Fregoso led to her cutback and cross from just outside the box finding a Sam Tristan on the run to head it home inside the far post for a 1-0 UC Davis lead
- The final 28 minutes were the Anteaters trying to crack a packed-in UC Davis defensive third with few chances, but some good ones like Suus de Bakker getting on the end of a cross in the 74th minute, Marissa LeVine from distance in the 75th, and final chance by Sophie Gillies as the waning seconds counted down
- Glo Hinojosa stood in and stopped three shots giving her 212 for her career
- UC Irvine finished with advantages in shots, 10-9, and corners, 4-3
With the results of the night, the Anteaters technically finished in a tie for sixth place in the Big West at 13 points (3-3-4) and an overall record of 6-7-5. UCSD's jumped into fifth place but are ineligible to play in the postseason due to reclassification. UCI will be the 5-seed in the Big West Championships and play in the first round Sunday at 4-seed Long Beach State with kickoff at 6:00 p.m.
UC Davis jumped into the 2-seed and will earn a first round bye with an overall record of 10-6-2 and 20 Big West points. Cal State Fullerton takes the 1-seed and will host the semifinals and final.
