UCSB gave up two goals in the last seven minutes and suffered a 2-1 loss at UConn on Sunday before more than 2,800 at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium in Storrs, Conn.
The Gauchos were leading 1-0 with Huskies forward Abdou Mbacke Thiam scored his first two career goals in a span of 2:19.
UCSB returns to Santa Barbara with a 2-2-1 record while UConn improves to 2-0-3
The Gauchos took a 1-0 lead on a penalty kick by Drew Murphy in the 58th minute.
Thiam knotted the game at 83:34 when he collected a loose ball in the middle of the box on a corner kick and tapped it over the goal line for his first career point.
Less than three minutes later, Awuah took the ball down the left flank and fed Thiam at the top of the box. He collected the pass in stride and fired a shot past Gaucho goalkeeper Justin Vom Steeg to put the Huskies up 2-1.
UCSB’s Nick DePuy was denied a goal in the 51st minute on a brilliant play by defender Simen Olafsen. He cleared DePuy’s header off the goal-line with a sliding kick save.
UCSB is back at Harder Stadium on Friday against College of Charleston.
