UC Santa Barbara and San Jose State each scored a first half goal and that was it as the teams battled to a physical 1-1 overtime tie in the Gauchos home opener on Friday evening.
UCSB (0-2-1) got on the board first. At the 11:16 mark, freshman forward Mallory Hromatko collected a loose ball near the top right side of the 18-yard box, moved in a couple yards and blasted a shot into the upper left corner of the goal.The unassisted goal was the Gauchos’ first of the season and the first of Hromatko’s career.
The Spartans (1-1-1) leveled the score in the 28th minute when Darriell Franklin received a perfect through-ball from Maricruz Chapa just outside the right side of the box, behind all UCSB defenders. Franklin slipped a shot along the ground and into the lower left side of the goal, past a diving Beth Ritter.
The final 82 minutes were played with little offense, but plenty of physicality. While the teams combined for just 12 total shots in the 110 minutes, five by UCSB, they also combined for 37 fouls, 19 by the Gauchos. In addition, in the second half and overtime there were a total of five yellow cards awarded by veteran referee Alex Gorin.
Santa Barbara senior goalkeeper Beth Ritter had one save, but departed the match with an injury following the first 10 minute overtime period. Jacq Caginia played the second 10 minute OT, which proved uneventful. Zoe Makrigiannis, also a senior, went the distance for San Jose State and her one save came in the third minute on a header by Chace Schornstein.
UCSB caught a break in the 60th minute when Franklin unleased another shot from about 14 yards straight out, hitting the crossbar.
UCSB will be off until Friday, Sept. 4 when it hosts the University of Texas in a 7:00 p.m. game on Meredith Field at Harder Stadium.
