Wednesday, August 12
Irvine, Calif.
6:00 PM
UC Irvine
0-0-1, 0-0-0
1
vs
1
Utah Tech
0-0-1, 0-0-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Tech | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| UC Irvine | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Photo by: Marco Beltran | UC Irvine Athletics
'Eaters Start Season with 1-1 Draw
August 12, 2026 | Women's Soccer
IRVINE, Calif. --- A competitive way to start 2026 as UC Irvine women's soccer scored a second-half equalizer to draw with Utah Tech, 1-1, Wednesday night in Anteater Stadium.
Trailing the Trailblazers
"It's always hard to come back from an early goal, and I think our team did a really good job especially with our five-minute mindset, very important following a goal, a really good job of switching on. Our mindset was that they play a high press and I don't think we were ready for it. It was kind of a reality check and a good mindset turn. We have a bunch of new faces and freshmen and I think the second half we really switched on and learned to play around their forwards, but it was exciting playing like that with our freshmen getting their first minutes."
"Our free kick mindset was exactly what we executed right there, and it wasn't just me - it was the people in the box putting pressure on their defenders and causing chaos and that's what made the goal happen. I think our team did a really good job creating chaos and following the ball in case it popped out. Kudos to the Utah Tech goalies who did an amazing job especially in the second half with some crazy saves, held us to just the one goal tonight."
The 'Eaters will play their final exhibition match next as they host Concordia Saturday, August 15 at 6:00 p.m. Their next competitive match comes Sunday, August 23 at No. 1 Stanford.
Trailing the Trailblazers
- The opening whistle had barely blown and there was already a goal in the 2026 season. The problem for the Anteaters is it was for the visiting Trailblazers.
- Utah Tech had possession in the midfield and fed it out wide to Ella Rusick who had a beat on goal and fired a shot off an Anteater defender that deflected up and over Savanna Arruda in goal for a 1-0 UTU lead just 64 seconds into the season
- The 'Eaters countered with a chance in the fourth minute that was turned away and three of the four shots on goal in the first half
- Olivia Stark had the best chance late in the half ringing a shot from distance off the top of the left post as UCI stared at a 1-0 deficit into halftime
- The second half was action packed from the early minutes
- Utah Tech had a sequence in the 47th minute with three shots in rapid succession, two that needed to be saved off the line by Anteater defenders including captain Hailey Clingan.
- UCI was on the attack starting with a corner kick earned in the 53rd minute
- Fiona Shin hopped on a service and fired a shot that needed a leaping save
- Another corner in the 57th minute brought UCI's own flurry with Allison Rabe's shot saved, Mimi Yamamoto shooting one saved by a Trailblazer defender, and a third shot blocked up high to keep the 'Eaters off the scoresheet
- The offenses settled down a bit until the equalizer came through in the 76th minute
- Hailey Clingan stepped up for a free kick from long range and dropped it right in the box. Rabe and a defender went up for it with the UTU defender getting to it just before her goalkeeper and heading it right into the goal to tie the match up. The play went to a coach's challenge and was upheld for a 1-1 game
- A few more last gasp chances for the 'Eaters were stopped and the sides finish up with a draw.
- The Anteaters stay unbeaten in their last five season openers now 4-0-1. All-time, the 'Eaters remain even at 19-19-4
- No official offensive stats for the 'Eaters outside of shots. UCI won the shot advantage, 13-8, and turned nine of them on goal while UTU had three in all
- Both Anteater saves went to defenders including Hailey Clingan with one. She also earned credit for the goal even if not on the stat sheet
- Utah Tech's keeper made seven total saves between Emma McIff (3) and Brenna Kelleher (4) who split halves
- UCI also earned six corner kicks to UTU's three, and were called for just two fouls - both coming in the second half
- Nine players made their Anteater debuts in the match including transfers in the starting lineup - Mimi Yamamoto and Mimi Dominguez - and Oona Hartman as a substitute
- The other six were collegiate debuts made by freshmen - Samara Maldonado and Allison Rabe as starters - freshman reserves Taylor Esparza, Olivia Stark, and Keira Baranski - and another starter in second-year 'Eater Malaina Duro who recovered from an injury freshman year
"It's always hard to come back from an early goal, and I think our team did a really good job especially with our five-minute mindset, very important following a goal, a really good job of switching on. Our mindset was that they play a high press and I don't think we were ready for it. It was kind of a reality check and a good mindset turn. We have a bunch of new faces and freshmen and I think the second half we really switched on and learned to play around their forwards, but it was exciting playing like that with our freshmen getting their first minutes."
"Our free kick mindset was exactly what we executed right there, and it wasn't just me - it was the people in the box putting pressure on their defenders and causing chaos and that's what made the goal happen. I think our team did a really good job creating chaos and following the ball in case it popped out. Kudos to the Utah Tech goalies who did an amazing job especially in the second half with some crazy saves, held us to just the one goal tonight."
The 'Eaters will play their final exhibition match next as they host Concordia Saturday, August 15 at 6:00 p.m. Their next competitive match comes Sunday, August 23 at No. 1 Stanford.
Starky nearly with some brilliance before the half #STRONGwomen pic.twitter.com/gs3a4YvDQ7
— UCI Women's Soccer (@UCIwsoc) August 13, 2026
TIED UP!! ?? Hailey serves it up and Utah Tech delivers with an own goal (76')
— UCI Women's Soccer (@UCIwsoc) August 13, 2026
UC Irvine 1-1 Utah Tech #TWZ pic.twitter.com/IAZ70LEgEP
Players Mentioned
GK
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
M/F
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F/M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
M/D
/ Women's SoccerTeam Stats
UTU
UCI
Goals
1
1
Shots
6
13
Shots on Goal
3
8
Saves
7
0
Corners
3
6
Fouls
6
2
Scoring Plays
Ella Rusick (1)
Assisted By: Channing Wuest , Lataya Brost
22 midfield feed to 2 into the box, shot off defender over diving keeper
01:04
0
3 free kick from distance, off defenders head inside right post
75:38
Game Leaders
mid
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
fwd
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
0
def
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
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