CEDAR CITY, Utah. – UCSB battled back from a 3-0 deficit on Wednesday, but a goal in the 88th minute gave Southern Utah a 4-3 nonconference win.
The Thunderbirds piled-up their 3-0 lead in the first 47 minutes, but the Gauchos struck back with three goals in a 23-minute span to tie it at 3-3.
UCSB’s first score came from a familiar source, senior Allie Ariniello, who scored on a put-back off of a rebound at 60:52. It was Ariniello’s third goal in as many matches.
“Allie Ariniello has been outstanding for us,” said head coach Paul Stumpf. “Three goals in three games and they’ve all been big ones.”
Freshman Morgan Idso had a hand in the next two goals. She scored the first of her career in the 78th-minute when she pushed home a shot following a scramble in front of the net off of a corner kick.
The game-tying goal came when Madison Beckley headed home a cross from Idso at 83:51. The goal was Beckley’s second of the season.
“Madison has been very good,” Stumpf said. “That was a beautiful goal she scored today and it was good to see Morgan score her first goal and then have the nice assist on the other.”
Southern Utah, however, answered with the game-winning goal at the 87:39 mark when Kirsten Anthony scored from the top of the 18-yard box.
“I have very mixed feelings about the game today,” Stumpf said. “We were playing our fifth game in nine days and we had played 110 minutes on Monday, yet in the final 35 minutes we looked like the fresher team and we showed great character in coming back.”
The Gauchos outshot the Thunderbirds 19-7 and had 10 shots on-goal as opposed to four for their opponents.
“We could have scored six goals today,” Stumpf said. “We were really creating a lot of chances.”
Stumpf also noted the play of junior midfielder Kelly McGrath and freshmen Dakota Griggs and Sydney Fuertes.
“Kelly has not yet come off the field for us and has been awesome,” he said. “Today, she was by far the best player on the field. Sydney played in four different spots for us and played well in all of them.”
UCSB (1-1-1) returns to the field on Sunday, Sept. 1 when it travels to Loyola Marymount for a 1 p.m. game. The Gauchos return home on Friday, Sept. 6 to host Pacific in a non-conference match that will begin at 5 p.m.
