WEEKLY MATCHUPS

UC Irvine Anteaters (0-0, 0-0 Big West) vs. UCLA Bruins (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Anteater Stadium (2,500) - Irvine, Calif.
Thursday - 6:00 PM | ESPN+ | Live Stats 

Match Notes
Promotional Schedule

COUNTER ATTACKS
10 - UCI is 21-14-5 all-time in season openers, 20-6-4 when they're at home, and have won 10 straight home season openers

14 - Agaton Pourshahidi returns on the attack coming off 2024 where he earned the program's first hat trick in 14 years


THROW-INS
5 - The 'Eaters deployed 5 different players as goalkeeper in 2024 with three different players earning multiple wins
 
191:03 - UCI played 191:03 last season either down a man, with a field player in net, or both, with a 3-3 scoreline during that time


SET PIECES
6 - UCI's season opens with 6 straight home matches in including 3 matches vs. 2024 tournament teams and 1 ranked foe
 
8th - Preseason coaches poll projected UC Irvine to finish 4th marking the 8th straight season with a top-4 projection

· The Preseason Big West Coaches Poll was announced last week with the 'Eaters projected to finish fourth in the 10-team Big West, the sixth straight season projected top four. UCI did not receive a first-place vote with all those reserved for the top three: UCSB, Cal Poly, UC Davis
· In addition to the poll, the Preseason All-Big West Team was announced with a pair of Anteaters representing - Brady Treinen and Agaton Pourshahidi. Each have been staples on the field with Treinen on defense returning after tying for the team high of five assists, and Pourshahidi netted a hat trick last year among his team-high seven goals and 25 career points
· The 'Eaters return five award winners for 2025. Pourshahidi, All-Big West First Team, and Treinen, Second Team, lead the charge, and Misael Gonzalez Lopez was an All-Big West Honorable Mention a year ago after scoring five goals, three in Big West play, and an additional goal in the Big West First Round matchup. Marcus Lee was also a Big West All-Freshman Team honoree with two goals including one against eventual national champions Vermont.
· The offensive firepower remains with 19 of their 24 goals from a year ago on this year's roster. Isaac Powell is another having put two goals home, both game-winners, as was Justin Conyers' lone strike. Isaiahs Gutierrez is back for his sophomore campaign after netting his first career goal in the Big West Semifinal at UC Santa Barbara. Newcomers could break through on the stat sheet as well like Army West Point's top scorer Gage Lyons and a 15-goal scorer on the junior college level, Hunny Yoo.
· The goalkeeping position will be the most intriguing spot after injuries meant field players spent some time in net and another like Paul Jing was signed off the club team and went 3-0-0 without allowing a goal in four matches. Alex Shields played splendid through his first six matches adding 24 saves before his injury, and the two upperclassmen return looking to secure the top job. A 6'7" newcomers Joe O'Shaughnessy joins after a successful season at Division II Florida Southern

Thursday vs. the Bruins
· The 2025 season opens with the big-name Bruins. It's a 24th meeting between the sides and 11th time in Anteater Stadium including the most recent, a 4-0 loss in 2023. UCLA has won three straight with the 'Eaters earning a draw in 2019 and the last win of UCI's three total in the series coming at home in 2013
· UCLA went through a daunting 2024 to a 7-6-6 record. A sixth-place finish in the Big Ten was enough for an NCAA berth, but the Bruins were upended by UCSB in the opening round. Of their 31 goals from last season, only eight return sophomore Artem Vovk's three the highest total. Junior midfielder Philip Naef is back with his 10 assists, and newcomer Sergi Solans was an All-American last year with Oregon State and made the move to UCLA despite hearing his name called in the MLS SuperDraft.
· UCI all-time to open the season is 21-14-5. When opening the season at home, the program is 20-6-4 and has won 10 straight season openers that have come in Anteater Stadium

2025 Schedule
· The Anteaters hosted two exhibitions starting with a 2-0 victory over USL League Two side Capo FC which featured a goal and assist from freshman Luis Gomez and a second goal by Agaton Pourshahidi. Second match was a visit from former assistant Matt O'Sullivan and Cal Poly Pomona who took a 1-0 edge into halftime before UCI roared back for a 4-1 victory behind goals from Misael Gonzalez Lopez, Agaton Pourshahidi, Elijah Juge, and Shane Kaemerle
· The overall schedule is challenging as it always is but has the advantage of 11 home matches including the first six at home. Three of those opponents were tournament teams last year and one, Cornell, is ranked at No. 22. A total of six tournament teams appear, and last year's slate set the tone after eventual national champion Vermont played in UCI's home opener to a 1-1 draw