The goals finally came for the UCSB men’s soccer team on Sunday.
The Gauchos erupted for two in each half and routed Buffalo 4-0 at the New Mexico Lobo Classic.
They scored six in two matches at the Lobo Classic after tallying only three in their previous four matches.
Now the Gauchos (2-2-2) come home with budding confidence to face arch-rival UCLA (4-1-1) at Harder Stadium on Friday night. The Bruins knocked them out of the NCAA Tournament last year.
Using his deep bench, UCSB coach Tim Vom Steeg rested some of his regulars after Friday’s 2-0 win over No. 6-ranked Harvard. The players off the bench responded as Tim Pontius and James Kiffe scored their first goals of the year.
Pontius gave the Gauchos a 1-0 lead in the 7th minute. He jumped on a ball that David Opoku headed off a Buffalo header and pounded in the rebound.
Opoku scored his second goal in two games in the 26th minute, finishing a pass from Sam Garza.
Danny Barrera came close to scoring in the 58th minute, hitting a shot off the cross bar.
Garza, who leads the team in shots taken, converted his third goal of the season for a 3-0 lead in the 65th minute.
Kiffe, the former San Marcos High star, finished the scoring in the 86th minute off a pass from Christian Ramirez.
UCSB outshot Buffalo 14-6. Gaucho goalkeeper Sam Hayden had five saves and recorded the 16th shutout of his UCSB career.
Hayden was named the Lobo Classic Defensive MVP while Danny Barrera was named Offensive MVP. Opoku, David and Garza all earned All-Tournament Team honors.
