IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine men's soccer drew 1-1 for a second time in a week this time Saturday night in Anteater Stadium against Cal Poly in Big West action.
Give And Take
- Early on, the tactics were deployed with either side looking to exploit the other. A flurry of fouls were called in the first 10 minutes as well in the hard-nosed clash
- A significant foul came in the 10th minute just inside the Anteater 18-yard box
- The Mustangs stepped up to the penalty spot and converted for the 1-0 lead just under 10 minutes into the match
- The sides were back at it with UCI's high line catching Cal Poly offside three times in seven minutes. The Anteaters found ways through the defense and put up their share of shots including a strike tipped wide by the Cal Poly keeper to set up an important corner kick
- Just before the half-hour mark, the Anteaters whipped in a corner that bounded around until it was cleared, but right to Isaac Powell
- Powell shot up the right side of the 18-yard box and fed a centering pass to Agaton Pourshahidi who put the ball in goal and just through the crouched keeper's legs to knot things 1-1 in the 31st minute
- Halftime approached with neither side getting a good look through the final 15 minutes
Having A Go
- Coming out of the break, the Mustangs jumped on the attack and put up three shots in the first seven minutes. Those would be the final three shots for them in the match finishing with four total
- The 'Eaters kept coming with near-misses from Marcus Lee including one save on a volley in the 66th minute
- Travis Babineau ran onto a cleared ball slamming it toward goal before it was blocked in the 72nd minute, and he followed with a curled another shot in the 76th minute just wide of the far post
- The best chances of the half came in the final six minutes starting with Brady Treinen bending a set piece around the wall into the keeper's mitts in the 85th minute. Misael Gonzalez Lopez had a left-footed chance on a counter attack snuffed out near the top of the box in the 88th minute as the match would end level
UC Irvine 1, Cal Poly 1
- UCI remains unbeaten through two Big West matches, but with only two points to show for
- The 'Eaters also stay unbeaten at home at 5-0-3, but are winless in their last five matches (0-2-3)
- Pourshahidi came away with the UCI goal, his second of the year and 15th in his career driving his point total to 34
- Isaac Powell earned the assist on the play, his second this season and fifth collegiate assist
- All Joe O'Shaughnessy and the defense did was allow the lone goal on a penalty kick accounting for the only shot on target faced on the evening and just four shots faced overall
- The stat sheet read a 17-4 shot discrepancy in favor of UC Irvine with four on target to Cal Poly's one. Each team earned just one corner kick on the evening
- Fouls were near even with UCI earning 14 to CP's 12, and each side drew a caution
UC Irvine heads on the road for two matches next week starting with an early, 10:30 a.m. kickoff Wednesday, October 8, at Cal State Bakersfield.
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