Anteaters Take 3-1 Win in Big West Opener

Sunday, September 21

Irvine, Calif.

1:00 PM

UC Irvine

4-2-4, 1-0-0

UC Riverside

0-8-1, 0-1-0

Team	1	2	Final F
UC Riverside	0	1	1
UC Irvine	1	2	3

ella-colombini-uci-wsoc-2025-washingtonstate-ucriverside

Photo by: John Clingan | UCI Athletics

Anteaters Take 3-1 Win in Big West Opener

September 21, 2025 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Alex Roberts-Croteau

IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine women's soccer put up a 3-1 victory Sunday afternoon in Anteater Stadium starting Big West action with three points over UC Riverside.

First Things First

As rain soaked things prior to the match, the sides kickoff without a drop coming down
The Anteaters were first to most things in the match with the first corner in the ninth minute, first shot in the 10th as Suus de Bakker headed a corner on frame needing UC Riverside's backline to head it away, and the first big chances of the match
Ella Colombini received a feed from her twin sister through the defense putting it on goal, but UCR keeper Talisa Perez came off her line to make a splendid save
The 'Eaters were off a running including a wonderful lead pass to Clara Samson whose final touch was just a bit hard allowing Perez to nab it before she could make an attempt
UCI also got on the scoreboard first in a special way coming in the 31st minute
- A feed from the right win by Ella Colombini was met by the keeper and Fiona Shin as the ball fell to Chifumi Sasaki approaching at the top of the box and slotting it through traffic for her first goal and the 1-0 lead
Neither side had any fruitful chances down the final 15 minutes of the half while the Highlanders picked up the first caution in the 42nd minute

Staying Vigilant

The 'Eaters continued on the attack as the second half as the rain sprinkled in between halves
A wayward shot and a yellow card went to UCR early on, and neither side really threatened much until the 63rd minute
- UCI beared down on the 18-yard box and just inside of it Clara Samson was taken down leading to a penalty
- Mia Colombini stepped up and buried the goal for a 2-0 advantage
The second goal gave some breathing room and was essential. Fiona Shin had a wonderful individual effort to create a shot that was somehow tipped by Perez in net to keep it 2-0
UC Riverside found a way and cut into the deficit in the 79th minute
- A restart in their own half turned into an attack up the right win guided by Sanaa Guyness feeding ahead to Sarah Mahfoud who kicked it up to herself and her second touch went over Laurynn Ziller and rested inside the net to suddenly make it 2-1 Anteaters
UCI was on its heels a little with some players tending to injuries including Trinity Morales, and the Highlanders gained momentum and possession driving upfield multiple times
UC Irvine's defensive unit weathered the attack responded
- Morales was back onto the pitch in the 87th minute, and two minutes later she was there to tap in a beautiful endline cross from Ella Colombini for the game-sealing goal and a 3-1 lead in the 89th minute

UC Irvine 3, UC Riverside 1

The win gives UCI back-to-back victories for the first time this season improving to 4-2-4 overall, and more importantly gains three points in the Big West race one game in
- UCI improves to 19-4-2 all-time against the Highlanders, 11-1-1 in matches in Anteater Stadium, and unbeaten (6-0-1) over the last seven meetings
Chifumi Sasaki fueled the offense with the first goal of the match and the first goal of her career all while playing in front of her mom for the first time traveling from Japan
Mia Colombini earned credit for the game-winning goal, the first of her career, along with her third goal of the season tying her for the team high
Morales' knocking home the final goal goes in as her second as an Anteater and fourth of her collegiate career
A two-assist day for Ella Colombini for the second straight match gives her six on the season as she now leads the 'Eaters in assists and points with eight
Fiona Shin also collected an assist, her second of the season
Laurynn Ziller earned the win while missing out on the shutout. She is now 4-2-3 on the season needing to make just one save. UCR made five saves as a club with four credited to Perez
The Anteaters won all over the stat sheet out-shooting the Highlanders, 13-6, putting eight on goal, and recorded all nine corner kicks

On the horizon are two Big West road matches next week starting Thursday, September 25 followed by a Sunday, September 28 matchup at Cal State Bakersfield.