MSoc: Gauchos host Matadors in Big West semifinal

UCSB will face Cal State Northridge on Friday night in the semifinals of the Big West men’s soccer tournament at Harder Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

The Gauchos became only the second team in Big West history to go unbeaten (the 2002 UCSB team was the other) in the conference regular season (7-0-3). They beat Northridge on its field, 2-1 in overtime, in their only meeting this year.

UCSB (12-4-3 overall) is the league’s Northern Division champion while Northridge (14-5-1) finished second in the South Division behind UC Irvine.

Northridge defeated Cal Poly, 3-1, on Tuesday night in a quarterfinal match. It was the 150th win in coach Terry Davila’s career at the school.

In the other quarterfinal game, UC Davis beat UC Riverside, 3-1, to earn a semifinal meeting against UC Irvine.

The tournament championship game is Sunday at 2 p.m. at the home of the highest remaining seed. If the seeds of the finalists are the same, the South Division team will host the final.

The tournament champion earns an automatic NCAA Tournament berth.