“If I looked at our schedule this summer and said seven games in we were going to be 5-2, I’d tell you we would be over-the-moon happy.”
Coach Paul Stumpf and the No. 21 UCSB women’s soccer team are now over the moon after defeating 24th-ranked Tennessee 2-1 Sunday at Harder Stadium.
Jacqui Simon’s third goal of the season found the back of the net in the 66th minute and proved to be the game-winner.
It was an uplifting win for a team that lost a heartbreaker to Washington State 3-2 on Friday night.
“I’m definitely very excited… This definitely gave us our confidence back,” said Simon.
Simon’s goal came on a beautiful through-ball by midfielder Sami Svrcek, who Stumpf pointed to as the game’s biggest difference-maker.
“She was all over the field today… For me, she was just awesome today,” he said.
UCSB struck first on a pass from Kailyn Kugler to Kylie McDonald in the 23rd minute. McDonald took the pass on the left wing and fired one into the top-right corner of the goal.
The Volunteers tied it up at the 38-minute mark, when senior Kylee Rossi took the ball at midfield and dribbled through the entire Gaucho defensive unit before getting a shot by Gaucho goalie Tammy Lenham, who finished the day with a season-high six saves.
UCSB junior Gennelle Ives played physically and aggressively until the very end, and tallied four shots in the match despite not scoring.
“What this means for our program is that if we don’t happen to win the Big West Tournament, which is the only automatic bid into the NCAAs, they look at results against quality opponents. This is one of them,” said Stumpf.
The Gauchos play Montana State in Hawaii on Friday and do not return home until a matchup with Cal State Northridge on October 10.
(photo by John Dvorak / PresidioPics)
