POMONA, Calif. – No. 6/7 UC Irvine's offense kept rolling in game two of the day as they defeated Redlands, 15-5, to finish out the day.
 
Sophomore Johann Thrall added his second hat-trick of the day while senior Tyler Padua notched his first to lead the Anteater scoring.
 
A powerhouse in the cage, Zayd Mahmoud set a new career high in saves with 18, the most of any Anteater goalkeeper since Byron Rivers did it against Pomona-Pitzer on September 9, 2018.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Luka Krstic and Samuel Otta contributed two goals each
• Stewart Campbell, Jayson Hubbard, Brody Luke, Keegan McGann, and Ethan Spoon added the rest of the Anteater scores
• Campbell and Alex Lopez both dished out two assists
• Padua drew a game best three exclusions
• Jack Stevens stole the ball a team high two times and also drew two exclusions
• UCI converted six of their power play opportunities (6-18)
• Five different players scored for Redlands

SCORING BREAKDOWN

• First period: Redlands started off the scoring at 5:41 on a power play chance before Tyler Padua got it rolling on the Anteater side at 5:17. After another ball found the back of the cage at 4:08 for the Bulldogs, No. 6/7 UC Irvine poured in four unanswered, the last from Johann Thrall at 0:15 to put UCI ahead, 5-2.
  • Thrall (2), Samuel Otta (1), Padua (1), and Spoon (1)
• Second period: Defense played a big role for both teams in the second period. UCI continued their scoring run at 7:25 when Padua hit the back of the net off the pass from Alex Lopez. The Anteaters held off Redlands until 1:26 left in the half where they brought the game within three points, 6-3.
  • Padua (1)
• Third period: Another five-goal period for UCI allowed them to expand their advantage in a well-rounded performance. Luka Krstic put away two in the third stanza, his first on a 6-on-5 at 5:09 and then at 1:20 when he converted the five-meter attempt. Stewart Campbell (0:13) had the final tally of the third coming off the dish of Ethan Shipman to lead, 11-4.
  • Krstic (2), Campbell (1), Otta (1), and Padua (1)
• Fourth period: UCI continued to press their advantage as the fourth period unfolded, finishing strong with four goals, while Redlands only had one. Freshman Jayson Hubbard was first up at 7:23 with his power play goal. Keegan McGann, another freshman, contributed on two scores, the first an assist at 3:58 for Brody Luke to find the back of the cage and then put one in himself at 2:13. With a long pass down the pool from Zayd Mahmoud, Thrall (1:37) notched the hat-trick to close out the 15-5 win.
  • Hubbard (1), Luke (1), McGann (1), and Thrall (1)

 
UP NEXT
No. 6/7 UC Irvine takes on No. 4/4 Pepperdine in a battle of top ten teams in the opening match of day two of the Gary Troyer Invitational.