bigwestchampions-uci-msoc-2025-trophy-celebration-ucriverside
2
UC Riverside UCR (4-9-4, 2-6-1)
3
Winner UC Irvine UCI (9-3-6, 4-0-5)
UC Riverside UCR
(4-9-4, 2-6-1)
2
Final
3
UC Irvine UCI
(9-3-6, 4-0-5)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UC Riverside UCR 1 1 2
UC Irvine UCI 1 2 3

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | Alex Roberts-Croteau

'Eaters Claim Big West Title Share with 3-2 Victory

IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine men's soccer provided a lot of fireworks on Senior Night in Anteater Stadium Saturday night with a 3-2 win over UC Riverside.

The win coupled with a UC Santa Barbara draw at CSUN, Cal Poly win at Cal State Bakersfield, and a Cal State Fullerton loss at UC San Diego put the 'Eaters, Gauchos, and Mustangs even on points at 17 atop the Big West standings. The title is the sixth in the regular season in program history and third under head coach Yossi Raz joining the 2018 and 2021 seasons.

With the three-way tie at the top, tiebreakers were used to settle the postseason seeding with UC Santa Barbara claiming the 1-seed on results vs. UCI and Cal Poly. UC Irvine took the 2-seed over Cal Poly due to total conference goals scored after the teams drew their regular season matchup and finished even on goal differential. UC Irvine will earn a bye to the Big West Semifinal and play in Anteater Stadium on November 8 kicking off at 6:00 p.m. against the winner of the First Round matchup between Cal Poly and UC San Diego.

To The Action
  • Prior to the match, UC Irvine honored its nine seniors this season - Misael Gonzalez Lopez, Paul Jing, Isaac Powell, Justin Conyers, Travis Babineau, Nolan DiCenzo, Agaton Pourshahidi, Abraham Brown, and Isaiah Quarcoo.
  • One of those seniors got the scoring started in the 28th minute
    • A throw-in was taken by the Anteaters and Hunny Yoo fed ahead to Misael Gonzalez Lopez who fought off defenders and fired under the keeper and inside the far post to put the Anteaters up, 1-0
  • The Anteaters were dominating early with the match's first eight shots before the Highlanders put a long-range ball on goal into Joe O'Shaughnessy's lap in the 36th minute.
  • The sides fought through the final 10 minutes of the half before the visitors changed the tone in the final minute
    • UCR sent a set piece into the box that was cleared to Ethan Gonzalez who returned a half-volley toward the left post and in off a diving O'Shaughnessy for an eye-opening strike to suddenly tie the match, 1-1, with 31 seconds left in the half
Marcus Madness
  • The second half commenced, and right away the 'Eaters were on the attack
    • Gage Lyons broke down the right wing and put a shot on from inside the six-yard box that the keeper smothered just 90 seconds into the half
    • UCI regained the lead in the 48th minute after Travis Babineau tracked down a ball on the right wing, rolled a feed into the middle of the 18-yard box, and Marcus Lee found it and slipped it home to make it 2-1
  • Lee was back on the case just 10 minutes later as the team set up for a corner kick
    • Travis Babineau opened up the set play with a short corner to Lee. He fed Babineau who bounced it to Misael Gonzalez Lopez who left it off for Lee as he tracked across the box and fired against the grain and inside the left post for his second and a 3-1 Anteater lead
  • The Highlanders fought back with a flurry of shots around the 63rd minute including two hot-shots that were saved by O'Shaughnessy
  • UCR found a goal in the 75th minute as an Ethan Gonzalez corner hit an unmarked Brady Ellison to head it home and close the gap to 3-2
  • A final save in the 78th minute was all that remained as the sides battled for possession and UCI ran out the clock to secure their Big West title
UC Irvine 3, UC Riverside 2
  • The win gives UCI an unbeaten Big West season at 4-0-5 and on a nine-match unbeaten streak from it. Overall, the 'Eaters improve to 9-3-6 and stay spotless at home with an 8-0-3 mark
  • The senior Gonzalez Lopez's opening goal was his seventh of the season as he finishes tied for the overall scoring title in the Big West
    • His assist on the game-winner puts him at 15 points and alone atop the Big West
  • For Lee, his two goals were the first two for him this season to put him at eight points. It doubles his career goal total and gives him a second career game-winning goal
  • Four assists were dished out on the night with Travis Babineau leading the way with a pair coming on each of Lee's goals
  • In addition to Gonzalez Lopez, Hunny Yoo put up an assist on his goal as he sits tied with Lee for the team lead with four each
  • O'Shaughnessy in net picked up a win and saved four shots despite just the second match in conference play allowing multiple goals
The postseason is next for the 'Eaters as it will learn its semifinal opponent Wednesday as who emerges from the UCSD at Cal Poly matchup. UCI's semifinal in Anteater Stadium will kick off at 6:00 p.m.
 

 



 



 

 
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