Anteaters Take Big West Title in Penalty Shootout

Saturday, November 11

Irvine, Calif.

6:00 PM

UC Irvine

9-6-4, 5-3-1

UC Davis

9-7-4, 4-4-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
UC Davis	0	0	0	0	0	0
UC Irvine	0	0	0	0	0	0

uci-msoc-2023-big-west-final-championship-trophy-ucdavis-team

Photo by: Robert Huskey

Anteaters Take Big West Title in Penalty Shootout

November 11, 2023 | Men's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Alex Roberts-Croteau

IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine men's soccer won the Big West Championship in the ninth round of a penalty shootout following a 0-0 match with UC Davis Saturday night in Anteater Stadium.

[2] UC IRVINE 0, [4] UC DAVIS 0 (UC IRVINE ADVANCES ON PKS, 8-7)

UC Irvine claims its fifth Big West Championship win, first under head coach Yossi Raz, and first for the program since 2013. UCI will be making its seventh trip to the NCAA Tournament
Fifth-year midfielder Oscar Cervantes was awarded Big West Championship MVP
The penalty shootout went nine rounds with both teams converting their first shot including Mario Anaya starting off the PKs, but the 'Eaters missing their second off the post
The shootout leveled again in the fourth round as Luke Pruter saved Ryan Dieter's shot
Mathis Winum, Juan Barragan-Manzo, and Agaton Pourshahidi each converted to make it 4-4 through five rounds
In the sudden death rounds, Rafael Espinoza, Nolan DiCenzo, Josh Kenworthy, and Kellan Barry were all true to extend the shootout
In the ninth round, Luke Pruter came through again with his second save on a shot from Hayden Carlson to send UC Irvine through and claim the title
A hotly-contested match for 110 minutes saw the teams even on shots, 10-10, through 90 minutes. UC Davis finished with more on the match, 16-13, but only one on frame
Pruter secured his seventh shutout on the season needing just one save in regulation. Charles Janssen for the Aggies made five saves
The first half was dominated by defenses, but chances for each side. Ricardo Ibarra and Francesco Montanile put up shots on frame in the 13th minute while Lucas Fernandez-Kim sailed a curler just high of the bar in the 29th minute
The second half saw more of the chances to UC Davis including Kevin Welch missing from inside the box on an open net in the 68th minute. UC Irvine produced seven of thei 11 corner kicks on the match in the second half alone, but failed to put anything past Janssen.
In the two overtime periods, the Aggies commanded the first 10 with five shots and a majority of possession, while the Anteaters changed it up and held possession in the second period, but the sides were still deadlocked at 0-0

Trophy celebration for the MVP and Champs! ????#OnlyTheBold x #TWZ x #NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/Dk1Tg0bg0c
— The Big West (@BigWestSports) November 12, 2023

Officially official. ????

Your 2023 Men's Soccer Champions @UCImsoc! #OnlyTheBold x #TWZ x #NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/31g4xVyrzf
— The Big West (@BigWestSports) November 12, 2023

See @ucimsoc's Luke Pruter with the ?? and the WIN! #OnlyTheBold x #ToghetherWeZot x #NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/uA6UjfTEZB
— The Big West (@BigWestSports) November 12, 2023

YOUR 2023 BIG WEST CHAMPIONS ?? #TogetherWeZot #RipEm pic.twitter.com/2EBTzelzEC
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) November 12, 2023

UC Irvine enters the postseason with an overall record of 9-6-4, and will find out their path in the 2023 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship Tournament on Monday, November 13 with the selection show that airs on ncaa.com at 10:00 a.m. PDT