uci-msoc-2025-bigwestchampions-graphic
2
Winner UC Irvine UCI (11-3-6, 4-0-5)
1
UC Santa Barbara UCSB (7-5-8, 4-0-5)
Winner
UC Irvine UCI
(11-3-6, 4-0-5)
2
Final
1
UC Santa Barbara UCSB
(7-5-8, 4-0-5)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UC Irvine UCI 1 1 2
UC Santa Barbara UCSB 0 1 1

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

Anteaters Win Big West Championship Over UCSB, 2-1

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --- UC Irvine men's soccer weathered a storm in Harder Stadium against top-seed UC Santa Barbara Friday night to win the Big West Championship, 2-1.

The Anteaters are the first team to clinch a spot in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the eighth berth in program history, after winning the sixth Big West Championship in program history.

Senior defender Nolan DiCenzo was named Big West Championship Most Valuable Player, and he was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Travis Babineau, Isaac Powell, and Brady Treinen.

Bring The Reign
  • The elements were a factor with rain starting the day before and steadily falling throughout the match
  • It almost led to an early goal for the 'Eaters as Misael Gonzalez Lopez got a ball behind a slipping defender and fired a shot that was saved in the 10th minute
  • The 27th minute brought a pivotal point in the match
    • Gonzalez Lopez approached the box and was fouled just outside it and drew a straight red card to UCSB's Drew Kamienski
    • Video review amended the decision to a yellow card as the 'Eaters set up for the free kick
    • Travis Babineau stepped up and buried a goal into the upper right for a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute
  • The remainder of the first half was relatively quiet with a few Anteater corner kicks and some misfired shots as the Anteaters entered the half on top
Gaining Ground
  • The second half started with a huge jolt for the Anteaters
    • Forty seconds into the half, the 'Eaters were cooking along the right sideline. Travis Babineau sent a ball ahead to Hunny Yoo in the box who settled it, and sent it in off a defender for a 2-0 advantage in the 46th minute
  • The Gauchos were on the move to get back in the match after just three first-half shots putting up five in a 13-minute span
  • Their pursuit paid off in the 66th minute as Buba Fofanah fired a shot into a crowd only to collect the rebound and sneak it inside the near post and draw within 2-1
  • UCSB was back on the attack sending two shots in the 67th minute that Joe O'Shaughnessy made saves on
  • UC Irvine countered with pushes into the attacking third. Agaton Pourshahidi had two chances in the 74th minute and Gage Lyons added one in the 75th all turned aside by the UCSB keeper
  • The red card did finally come for UC Santa Barbara in the 82nd minute on a second caution issued to Kamienski putting the Gauchos a man down
  • UCI continued to push for a vital insurance goal but were turned away somehow by UCSB's keeper, part of his seven saves, to give them a chance
  • They nearly equalized with a set piece swung in in the 88th minute nearly headed in past O'Shaughnessy off his line that went high
UC Irvine 2, UC Santa Barbara 1
  • UCI claims the Big West title for a sixth time in their eighth trip to the Big West Final.
    • They also improve to 4-1 in the final vs. UCSB and snapped their nation-leading 13-match unbeaten streak
    • UCI is now unbeaten in 11 straight (6-0-5) with three consecutive wins
    • Head Coach Yossi Raz secures the second Big West Championship title under his tenure, and it's the program's third NCAA berth under him
  • Santa Barbara-native Travis Babineau was the offensive star of the night scoring the opening goal, his second of the season, and added the assist on the second goal, his fifth this season
  • Hunny Yoo collected his first career goal at the most opportune time registering as the game-winning goal in the title match. He now has six points on the season
  • O'Shaughnessy in goal was credited with three saves to go with his and the team's 11th victory
  • The teams each had 12 shots in the second half alone with UCI coming out with a 16-15 shot advantage in the match
    • The 'Eaters put nine shots on target to four for UCSB
    • UCI had the slight advantage in corner kicks, 6-5, and committed fewer fouls, 12-10, and were not cautioned compared to four for the Gauchos
UC Irvine will enter the NCAA Tournament with a record of 11-3-6 and Big West regular season and championship winners, the third time in program history claiming both.

The Anteaters will learn their postseason fate Monday, November 17, with the NCAA Selection Show broadcasted on ncaa.com at 10:00 a.m. Irvine time.



 

 
 
 

 






 
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