UCSB’s goal-scoring woes continued at UC Davis on Saturday.
After being blanked by Cal State Northridge last Sunday, the No. 8-ranked Gauchos came up empty again, falling to the Aggies 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at the Aggie Soccer Field. Alex Henry scored the game-winner in the 85th minute.
After going undefeated through its first 11 games of the season, UCSB has now dropped two straight matches and falls to 8-2-3 overall and 2-2-1 in the Big West. UC Davis improves to 6-4-4 and 4-1 in league games and snapped its six-game losing skid against the Gauchos. This marked UCSB’s first loss in Davis since the 2006 season.
Henry’s game-winner came off of a free kick from the right wing. He shot the ball to the left of Gaucho goalkeeper Austin Mansker, who attempted to punch it out as it sailed just under the cross bar in the left corner.
The Gauchos and Aggies went shot-for-shot, each posting nine in the match-up. Davis led with a 4-3 edge in shots on-frame. UCSB led the corner kick battle, 7-2. Mansker and Aggie goalkeeper Omar Zeenni each had three saves.
Senior Peter McGlynn led the Gauchos’ offensive effort with a game-leading five shots and all three of UCSB’s shots on-frame. Two of the Gauchos’ best opportunities to score came off of the foot of McGlynn in the second half.
In the 57th minute, he sent a low hard drive from the top of the box off of a free kick, but Zeenni came up with a great save. The Aggie keeper denied McGlynn again less than a minute later when he knocked down a left footed rocket sent his way by the defender.
With the loss, UCSB stays put in third place – tied with Cal Poly – in the Big West’s North Division with seven points. UC Davis now trails first-place Sacramento State by just one point with 12 total.
Wow! No mention of the Gaucho player arrested on the field after play for physically assaulting a ref! You may need to remove the word “news” from your masthead!!!!!