DAVIS – If anything, the No. 15 UCSB men’s soccer team is making things exciting these days.
For the second time this week the Gauchos used a golden goal to end a game, this time using Sam Garza‘s overtime strike for a 2-1 victory over UC Davis on Saturday.
Garza’s goal, his third of the season, came 6:18 into the first overtime as the forward took a ball at midfield and sent a hard shot to the lower right corner of the goal past Omar Zeenni for UCSB’s first Big West Conference win this season and the team’s second in a row.
After defeating No. 3 Akron on Wednesday in an overtime victory, the Gauchos appeared to take the momentum into Saturday’s game up north.
James Kiffe scored just 10:54 into the match off of a free kick. Luis Silva, who scored UCSB’s goal to defeat Akron, had the assist on the play. That gave the Gauchos (8-3-1, 1-2) a 1-0 lead.
However, the Aggies (4-6-2, 2-2) knotted things up at 1-apiece on Matt Wisenfarth’s fourth goal of the season at 31:29.
Overall, the Gauchos appeared to dominate the match, netting 21 shots to UCD’s 12, with six coming on goal. UCSB also had eight corner kicks, compared to four for the Aggies.
Gaucho goalie Andre Grandt finished with three saves for the win.
UCSB will host Cal State Fullerton on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Meredith Field at Harder Stadium. Tickets are available by calling (805) 893-UCSB or clicking here.
