IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine women's soccer returned to Anteater Stadium to deliver a resounding 2-0 win Thursday night over UC Davis.
Suus Is Loose
- UCI commanded most of the match starting with 79% possession in the first half
- The chances were slow to come with just a pair of Trinity Morales shots on the stat sheet through 22 minutes, one saved by the UC Davis keeper
- The 'Eaters continue to build and add chances before striking gold in the 38th minute
- A foul in the middle of the offensive half put Chifumi Sasaki on the ball to deliver a set piece right on the money to Suus de Bakker eight yards out to direct a volley inside the far post and take the 1-0 lead
- UC Davis made a late push on the attack with two shots in the final four minutes, one collected by Laurynn Ziller, but UCI held onto their edge in shots, 5-2, and the halftime lead
Double Dutch
- The Anteaters did not let up as the second half kicked off with four more shots in the first 15 minutes
- de Bakker was on the end of another set piece looking to duplicate her first half strike, but sent it high in the 58th minute
- Lightning struck again for the fifth-year from the Netherlands and the 'Eaters in the 67th minute
- The offense drove along the left wing with de Bakker and Clara Samson leading the charge. The duo completed a give-and-go highlighted by Samson nutmegging her defender and dropping a pass to de Bakker who wound up and fired a short-side blast for her second goal of the night on a 2-0 score
- Samson got a firm shot of her own gobbled up by the Aggie keeper in the next minute as UCI continued to put up chances
- Mia Colombini did the same coming up the left wing and ripping a shot into the keeper's clutches in the 83rd minute
- The Aggies buckled down with a pair of corners and shots in the final two minutes in a desperate try to keep hope alive, but the UCI defense was up to the task preserving the win and the shutout.
UC Irvine 2, UC Davis 0
- de Bakker's two-goal game is the first of her career pushing her Anteater goal total to eight
- The goal goes down as the game-winner, the second in de Bakker's career and first since her sophomore season of 2022
- The defender now has four goals on the season tying her atop the team with Mia Colombini
- It's the second brace for an Anteater this season joining Kori Pickelle's two goals at Sacramento State
- Assists were registered to Chifumi Sasaki on the first goal, her second assist of the year, and Clara Samson on the insurance strike, the first assist of Samson's career
- Not lost in the excitement is another shutout for Laurynn Ziller and the defense as she needed to make just one save on four shots faced
- Ziller picks up her fifth clean sheet as it's the seventh for the team on the year
- Notably, Ella Colombini played in her 50th career match Thursday night becoming the 106th Anteater to reach that mark
- UCI used 21 of their 22 players in the match with reserve keeper Savanna Arruda the only 'Eater to not see any action
- UCI has won two straight to lift its season record to 6-3-4. Four matches into Big West play, UCI has nine points and a 3-1 mark
UC Irvine makes the short trip to Long Beach State for its next match, Sunday, October 5, with a 6:00 p.m. kickoff. Following that match, the 'Eaters will get an 11-day break before they return to the pitch.
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