Kara Kuttler scored her second goal of the match in the 104th minute as visiting Seattle University edged UCSB 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Meredith Field at Harder Stadium. The non-conference loss snapped the Gauchos’ four-game winning streak.
The game-winning goal came on a header by Kuttler after Alicia Malstrom drove down the right side of the penalty box and hit a perfect cross just in front of the goal. The ball eluded UCSB freshman goalkeeper Taylor Gonzalez, who entered the game at the start of the second half.
The Redhawks took a 1-0 lead at the 9:16 mark when Jamie Coe cracked a shot from 10 yards out straightaway. The ball got past starting goalkeeper Ali Cutler and went in just inside the left post.
UCSB tied the score at 31:13. Junior Jacqui Simon booted a corner kick that freshman Erin Ortega deflected to junior Kailyn Kugler. Kugler knocked the ball in from right in front of the goal. It was her seventh tally of the season.
Less than seven minutes after Kugler tied the score, Kuttler untied it with an outstanding individual effort. She carried the ball into the box, beat a defender and lined a shot from 15 yards on into the left portion of the goal.
In the 61st minute it was Kugler scoring her second goal of the match and eighth of the season for the Gauchos. Sophomore Katy Roby started the play when she threaded a pass to Kugler near the top right-hand portion of the box. The San Clemente, Calif., native dribbled around one defender and put a shot past Seattle’s Madison Goverde. Kugler has now scored a goal in four of the last five matches totaling six in that span.
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The game remained 2-2 until the second overtime when Kuttler tallied the decider.
UCSB outshot the Redhawks 20-10 overall, but the visitors had six shots on goal to the Gauchos five.
“Not enough of our players had the passion to really fight in front of the net today,” commented head coach Paul Stumpf. “They have the ability, but today they just didn’t show the fight.”
UCSB also had a major advantage in corner kicks as they piled-up 13 to Seattle’s one.
The non-conference loss drops the Gauchos to 7-8-1 overall while Seattle improves to 7-9-1.
UCSB returns to Big West action on Friday, Oct. 23 when it travels to UC Davis for a 2:00 p.m. match against the Aggies. The Gauchos will enter the match at Davis with a 4-1 league record. They will remain in northern California for a Sunday, Oct. 25 match at Pacific before returning home to host Cal Poly at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 1. The game against the Mustangs will be the regular season finale.
