Sixth-ranked UCSB (7-3) won both games of a doubleheader Sunday afternoon in two very different fashions.
The first game of the day which also served as the Gauchos home opener paired UCSB with No. 14 Concordia (18-3) and was a hard-fought battle that was decided in overtime. In the second game of the day, UCSB faced Whittier (8-10) and picked up an easy 13-5 win.
Sophomore Noah Smith opened the scoring in game one with a goal out of two-meters with 5:04 on the clock. The Eagles responded quickly as Caleb Hamilton tallied the first his of three goals just 14 seconds later. With 2:14 left in the period, Hamilton scored on a five-meter penalty to give Concordia its first lead of the game.
The Eagles built their lead to 3-1 early in the second quarter with a goal from Duje Grubisic, but during the next possession, Smith tallied his second goal to cut the Gaucho deficit back to one. Senior Stefan Partelow scored just a couple minutes later to tie the game at three-all. The teams traded one more goal apiece to remain deadlocked at 4-4 heading into halftime.
The Gauchos struck first in the second half when Brian Bishop found the back of the net just 56 seconds into the third. The seesaw battle continued though, with the game being tied at 5-5 and then 6-6 before Kendall Olds scored the final goal of the third period with 1:21 to go, giving UCSB a slight 7-6 advantage.
With 3:50 left in regulation time, Kevin Rice scored on a six-on-five opportunity, tying the game at seven-all. Smith struck for the third time to give UCSB an 8-7 lead with 2:38 on the clock and it looked as if UCSB had it sealed up until the final second when a five-meter penalty was called on the Gauchos at two-meters. Hamilton scored the penalty goal, sending the game into overtime.
Neither team scored in the first overtime period and the scoring drought continued for the first two minutes of the second overtime period. With 1:02 on the clock, UCSB earned an ejection and head coach Wolf Wigo called a time out. Just 11 seconds later, freshman Evan Dellinger scored on the power play from about five meters out, giving UCSB the 9-8 win.
The second game proved to be much easier for the Gauchos. UCSB jumped out to an early 2-0 lead behind goals from Smith and Chris Dyer in the first three minutes. Whittier put its first goal on the board on a power play with 5:17 to go in the first, but UCSB poured on three straight to end the quarter leading 5-1.
The closest the Poets would get from that point forward was three-goals as the Gauchos cruised to a 13-5 victory. Partelow led the team with four goals in the victory.
The Gauchos will be back in action on Saturday, Oct. 10 when they head to the UC Irvine Invitational. UCSB is scheduled to take-on UC Davis in the first round of the tournament.
