DENVER, Colo. --- UC Irvine men's soccer's season came to a close with an NCAA First Round defeat to Denver, 2-0, Thursday afternoon at University of Denver Soccer Stadium.

The Anteaters finish 2025 with an 11-4-6 record as Big West regular season and championship winners.

UC Irvine commanded most of the match with 59% possession in the first half and 54% for all 90 minutes. The 'Eaters also finished with an 11-5 shot advantage and committed four fouls to Denver's 12

Technically Sound

• The first half was predominantly to the Anteaters who played possession football and broke down Denver bit by bit
• UCI was ready out of the gate slicing through the Pioneer defense in the second minute as Braden Ferreira hit Misael Gonzalez Lopez on a through ball with his hard shot blocked out for a corner kick
• UCI had the advantage in shots, 5-2, missing just high on a few chances like Travis Babineau in the 20th minute and Braden Ferreira in the 37th minute

Finishing Move

• UC Irvine's tactics were holding strong through the first 15 minutes of the second half, but were unable to create any promising chances
• Denver began to gain entrance and earn opportunities as the half progressed and broke through in the 71st minute
  • The Pioneers worked up the right wing crossing a ball to the penalty spot where Kyle McGowan put a shot on that Nolan DiCenzo saved, but the rebound fell right to McGowan again who finished to lead 1-0
  • Denver built off the momentum shift and Luke Schultz capitalized tracking across to the right side of the box and finding a small window near post for a goal and 2-0 lead in the 75th minute
• The Anteaters shifted the attack pushing for a way to cut into the lead
  • Ferreria hit a shot from distance for the first save by Denver's keeper in the 77th minute
  • Marcus Lee had a chance turned away at the point of contact in the 81st minute
  • The best chance of a comeback was from Isaac Powell in the 85th driving into the box and sending a low hard shot on target that the DU keeper kicked aside thwarting UCI's chance to get back into the match

Denver 2, UC Irvine 0

• UC Irvine allowed a total of five shots and three on target with two going for goals. The Anteater backline was credited with the lone save
• The NCAA Tournament trip for UCI is its eighth as a program now with an overall record of 4-8-1 and a 1-2-1 record in First Round matches

Postmatch Thoughts from Isaac Powell
"I thought we prepared super well for today. We knew the other team inside and out and we were very confident in the game plan. I think through the first half we were very good at executing that and getting into the right spots. I just think it was that one-more-pass element inside the box to get a shot off, one more extra pass and the game might have turned out differently."

"Starting the second half, it was a mixture of the same thing, and it was just a lapse of focus from us defensively when they were able to create momentum and get a goal, and we weren't able to get it back from there. We ended the game pretty good, stayed to our game plan, got up the field and created shots. I had a very clear opportunity that I don't know how it didn't go in. But it was a hell of a season, hell of a game, so proud of our team, proud of Denver and I'm sure they'll make a good run."

"This is a season of pure grind and heart from everyone. It started in January, training every day, every morning, working on brand new things for this UCI 2.0 we're working on, a lot of arguments, hard times, great times, heading into the summer and then the season. I couldn't be more proud of each and every one of these players. They're all so different in their own ways and we meshed so well together. We had such a beautiful season and the wins and goals and hwo we came back from situations. To make it this far, to show the statement we made, it's a really big thing for our culture and to show that we'll be back here next year. We're going to keep building from this."