COUNTER ATTACKS
3rd - UCI came back for the 3rd time this season Saturday; they drew with Vermont, Cal Poly, and UCSD after trailing
191:03 - UCI has played 191:03 this season either down a man, with a field player in net, or both, with a 3-3 scoreline during that time

THROW-INS
3-0-2 - The Anteaters enter the postseason with the Big West's longest unbeaten streak of five matches going 3-0-2
5 - UCI has had 5 different keepers including two field players with zero GK experience, and 3 keepers to record multiple wins

SET PIECES
6 - 'Eaters have had 6+ All-Big West honorees in 6 of coach Raz's 7 seasons, and at least one All-Freshman Team player each year
12-5-4 - UCI is 12-5-4 all-time in the Big West Championship appearing in 13 of the 16 tournaments and winning 5 titles

 
· UCI picked up a point last week with a comeback to erase a 2-0 deficit and draw, 2-2, at UCSD. The point clinched a postseason berth and was vital as other results would have been eliminated UCI with a loss
Þ  Samuel Atiye recorded a goal and an assist for the first time in his career putting him at five goals and six assists
Þ  The result is the first for the program after they trailed by two or more goals since 2017 when it drew 3-3 at Sac State after trailing 2-0. The 'Eaters also came from a 2-0 deficit to draw even at LMU in the NCAA First Round match which they eventual dropped, 4-2
Þ  The Anteaters have come from behind three times this year, all resulting in draws - down one to Vermont and at Cal Poly to finish 1-1 and Saturday down 2-0 to draw 2-2 at UC San Diego
· UC Irvine's goalkeeping odyssey this season has been worth a rundown. As a unit, five different 'Eaters have played minutes in goal pushing the team to its 7-7-2 record, four shutouts, a 1.25 GAA, and 69 total saves:
Þ  Luke Pruter has returned for the last three matches. Around two injury stints, Pruter is 2-2-2 this year with a shutout and collected 19 saves. He stands in UCI's top 10 with 18 wins, 13 shutouts, and 162 saves in 51 matches
Þ  Alex Shields filled in admirably for six matches winning twice, posting an eight-save match vs. USD, facing two ranked squads, and all in his first collegiate minutes. His season ended on September 21 when he tore his meniscus in the 17th minute vs. Utah Tech, but played the full 90 minutes for the win with a pair of saves.
Þ  Paul Jing was a regular student when the season started before joining the squad September 2. He stepped in following all the injuries and picked up three wins, all shutouts, and 17 saves in a total of 328 minutes culminating in a Big West Defensive Player of the Week award on October 21
Þ  UC Irvine dipped into the field player pool with substitute and defender Abraham Brown at UC Riverside and midfielder Braden Ferreira starting vs. #23 UCSB after Jing's red card ejection and suspension. The duo stopped eight shots in  a pair of 1-0 defeats with neither playing any goalkeeper minutes at the club level

Wednesday vs. the Titans
· UC Irvine and Cal State Fullerton meet again for the rare postseason matchup. The teams have met twice, once a 2-1 CSF win in the 2010 semifinal where coach Kuntz was on UCI's sideline. In the 2014 final, coach Kuntz was heading Fullerton against UCI and coach Chris Volk in a match that was scoreless and decided, 3-2, in favor of CSF in penalties, and both matches taking place in Anteater Stadium
· All-time, the Anteaters have the series lead at 29-25-9 with the recent series at 5-3 since head coach Yossi Raz took over, and in Anteater Stadium, UCI is 3-2. The regular season matchup took place in Anteater Stadium and went to the Titans, 2-0, to open Big West play scoring in each half against UCI's Luke Pruter.
· The Titans have been up and down in 2024 to stand at 7-5-7 overall that included a 10-match unbeaten streak and a pair of three-match winless stretches. They hung on to the final Big West spot with a draw Saturday and tiebreaker to finish 3-2-4. Erick Serrano retains his title as Big West Midfielder of the Year on a squad that scored and allowed nearly two goals a match in Big West action. Fitz Williams (3 G, 1 A) and freshman Jose de la Torre (3 G, 2 A) turned it on in conference play contributing on the goals to defeat the 'Eaters last time out.

Big West Championship Time
· The Big West Championship begins Wednesday with CSUB and UC Davis earlier in the day before Fullerton and UCI go to battle that evening. Semifinals will be Saturday at UCSB and Cal Poly with the championship Friday night, November 15, hosted by the highest remaining seed left. Cal Poly got a late goal to beat Cal State Bakersfield Saturday and claim the title, surprisingly the Mustangs' first in Big West history.
· The Anteaters are in the Big West Championship for a 13th time in this the 16th Big West Championship and fifth time in coach Raz's seven seasons looking to defend their 2023 title. UCI is 2-3 all-time in the First Round. The Anteaters face an uphill battle as of the 18 all-time First Round winners, only three have made it to the Final, and only one of those won the title in Cal State Fullerton back in 2014.