IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine women's soccer played its regular season home finale Sunday night in Anteater Stadium ending in a 0-0 tie with Long Beach State.

The defenses were the story of the day with either attack having a hard time getting through to the attacking third. The Anteaters managed to secure 75% of the possession and advantages in shots, 13-9, and corners, 5-2, but nothing on the scoresheet.

UCI had two prime opportunities to get on the board starting in the 18th minute. A set piece near midfield from Mihaela Perez floated on goal and drove the keeper back as she tipped the ball off the crossbar. It rebounded right in front of goal to a charging Kaitlyn Paculba who volleyed it back on target, but right into the waiting arms of Aurora Schuck to keep it scoreless.

The other chance came late in the match with another feed from near midfield. In the 89th minute. Perez again ran onto a ball and fed it into the top of the box. Paculba was there again dancing around the defenders and finding the bounding ball all alone with the keeper, but sent her shot over the bar as the last-gasp effort went wanting.

UCI's defense stood tall throughout with Ashley Naylor saving two shots and her backline picking up a third. The best chance for LBSU came in the 78th minute. A corner kick curled on goal that Naylor needed a leap to keep out of the net. The rebound went right to another LBSU player on the doorstep who nudged it back to goal that Ella Colombini chested away to preserve the shutout.

For Naylor, she picks up her fourth shutout of the year and the fifth for the team picking up two more saves. UC Irvine stays unbeaten in the last seven matchups with the Beach now 3-0-4.

All of it means the 'Eaters are occupying the final spot in the Big West Championship with one matchday remaining on 13 points with a 3-2-4 Big West record, 5-6-6 overall. UC Irvine is in the driver's seat for a championship spot with a path to the tournament even with a loss in the regular season finale while a win will solidify a spot and a draw helps but is not a guarantee.

The season all comes down to Thursday night at UC Riverside for the 'Eaters, kick off at 7:00 p.m.

Postgame Quotes
Ashley Naylor - "We were happy with our performance. We're bummed that we didn't get the win, we put a lot of chances on goal and energy and momentum and hope that will carry us to our last game on Thursday, but we were happy with ourselves and our grit and determination."

"I was really proud of the defense, it made my job a lot easier and I didn't have to touch the ball a whole lot which is always a good thing for me. I think we stayed together and even had some subs come in for our center backs which is kind of rare, but they came in and did their role just like they were supposed to and made it easier for me and gave our forwards chances that they needed as well."

Lawson Willis - "I think we executed our game plan well, and we worked together well as a collective. It's unfortunate we didn't get a goal or two, but we knew the attitude going into this game and I think we played really well, just didn't get the result we wanted."

"Ella obviously coming up huge on the goal line there, and a shutout we're happy with. We wanted to win, but our defense played really well all the way from the front line to the back so I'm proud of us for that."
 

Ashley and Ella with the big saves off the corner!! #STRONGwomen pic.twitter.com/FOLJqWQmC9

— UCI Women's Soccer (@UCIwsoc) October 28, 2024