'Eaters Score 3-1 Win over Gonzaga

Sunday, September 3

Irvine, Calif.

6:00 PM

UC Irvine

3-0-1, 0-0-0

Gonzaga

2-1-1, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Gonzaga	0	1	1
UC Irvine	1	2	3

anaya-means-dicenzo-cervantes-ibarra-uci-msoc-2023-gonzaga

Photo by: Robert Huskey

'Eaters Score 3-1 Win over Gonzaga

September 03, 2023 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Alex Roberts-Croteau

IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine men's soccer stays unbeaten for a fourth match to start 2023 beating a fellow unbeaten Gonzaga 3-1 Sunday night in Anteater Stadium.

UC IRVINE 3, GONZAGA 1

A pair of physical sides got started early with a caution in the fifth minute as part of six total cards and 38 fouls issued in the match
The Anteaters got the first goal in the 15th minute on an visually captivating play. Possession along the right wing began the sequence with Mario Anaya chipping a pass to Samuel Atiye who did the same right onto a charging Francesco Montanile near the six-yard box to poke his volley through the keeper and in and go up, 1-0
At the half, UCI held most of the advantages including seven of the nine shots and three of the four shots on frame
The 'Eaters fought through the Bulldogs for a second goal coming in the 51st minute. A feed into the mixer from the touchline bounced around until Montanile again had the magic touch poking a ball through the traffic to Mauricio Gutierrez on the doorstep who guided it home with his knee to make it 2-0
The lead grew to 3-0 in the 64th minute as a handball in the box put Jake Means on the spot to convert the penalty and make it 3-0
Gonzaga would not be denied getting one back in the 74th minute after Luke Pruter made a brilliant save to stop the first of three shots before he was finally beaten by an upper 90 strike to make it a 3-1 game
Montanile recorded a goal and an assist in the same game for a second time in his career; the goal is his first of 2023
Gutierrez registered his first collegiate goal and point with his tally that eventually went down as the game-winner
Means has goals in consecutive matches now with seven in his career to lead active Anteaters. It was also his first penalty goal in his first career attempt
Luke Pruter nearly held a clean sheet on his birthday, but did come away with five saves including the 100th of his career
Along with Montanile, assists went to Samuel Atiye, the first of his career and first point of 2023, and Mario Anaya with his first point of 2023 and fifth career assist

Luke at the ready #RipEm pic.twitter.com/O8sfxlklPd
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) September 4, 2023

GOLAZO!! ? Samuel to Francesco (15') what a BEAUT

UC Irvine 1-0 Gonzaga #TWZ pic.twitter.com/nO4CeL1EsI
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) September 4, 2023

Backline steps in to thwart Agaton and Jake's open net #RipEm pic.twitter.com/j5KlFbXSpd
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) September 4, 2023

UCI GOAL!! ? Mauricio Gutierrez (51') uses his knee for his first career goal!!

UC Irvine 2-0 Gonzaga #TWZ pic.twitter.com/vC0NQGR0st
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) September 4, 2023

UCI GOAL!! ? Handball in the box and Jake Means (64') puts it home

UC Irvine 3-0 Gonzaga #TWZ pic.twitter.com/5gNDmQodfh
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) September 4, 2023

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by UC Irvine Men's Soccer (@ucimsoc)

Francesco providing a beautiful finish on tonight's beautiful victory #RipEm pic.twitter.com/5eF437JQiZ
— UCI Men's Soccer (@UCImsoc) September 4, 2023

UCI and Gonzaga both came into the match with 2-0-1 records and UCI emerged unscathed at 3-0-1 along with their highest goal total of the year. Next up will be another unbeaten challenge and currently fourth-ranked in the nation, Stanford, coming to Anteater Stadium Friday, Sept. 8 at 6:00 p.m.