LA JOLLA, Calif. – No. 1 seeded UC Irvine mounted the comeback in the final 34 seconds of the contest to advance to the Big West Championship finale.
 
Sophomore Luka Krstic scored the game winning goal for the Anteaters and totaled five on the day along with an assist and steal.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Krstic notched his fifth hat-trick of the season
• Six other Anteaters tallied a goal in the contest
• UCI converted on both their five-meter penalty opportunities
• Junior Jacob Pyle earned the victory in the cage, blocking 11 shots
• This was Pyle's sixth double figure save game of the season and second consecutive game doing so
• Jake Liechty dished out a game best three assists
• Ethan Shipman also recorded multiple assists in the game with two
• Liechty stole the ball four times, a game best
• Dylan Patist added two steals to the game
• No. 4 seeded UC Davis was led by Will Nomura who recorded three goals on six shots along with an assist

 
SCORING BREAKDOWN

• First period: No. 1 seeded UC Irvine started the scoring off a Thomas Cass shot that hit off the crossbar, bouncing behind the No. 4 seeded UC Davis goalkeeper at 7:35. The Anteater defense held strong until the Aggies found the open gap (1:39). UCI persisted, untying the score with five seconds on the clock to lead, 2-1.
  • Cass (1) and Verdegaal (1)
• Second period: Both squads went back and forth in the action before the end of the half. Sophomore Luka Krstic notched both the goals for the Anteaters with the second one on the penalty shot. The Aggies took their first lead of the game at 3:43 and entered the halftime break with the 5-4 advantage.
  • Krstic (2)
• Third period: After Johann Thrall knotted the game up with a fiery shot from distance before UC Davis scored three answered goals. UCI was able to stop the run off a five meter penalty conversion from Krstic with two ticks on the clock trailing, 8-6.
  • Krstic (1) and Thrall (1)
• Fourth period: UC Irvine was firing on all cylinders in the final stanza holding the Aggies to one goal while scoring four unanswered to mount the comeback and find a spot in the Big West Championship finale. Krstic netted the game winner with 34 seconds left in the contest for the championship berth, 11-10.
  • Campbell (1), Krstic (1), Otta (1), and Stevens (1)

 
UP NEXT
UC Irvine heads to the Big West Championship finals set for 1 p.m. on Sunday Nov. 19. The Anteaters will face [2] UC Santa Barbara.


Head Coach Dan Klatt Post Game Interview