Freshman Mallory Hromatko’s goal in the 87th minute broke a 1-1 tie and gave UC Santa Barbara a 2-1 Big West Conference road women’s soccer win at UC Davis on Sunday afternoon.
Hromatko scored the game-winner, her fourth of the season, from just outside the left hand corner of the box, past Aggie goalkeeper Alexis Smith. She received a pass from freshman Ryan Kokoska. It was Hromatko’s seventh goal of the season, the most by a UCSB freshman in 14 years.
Hromatko’s goal came after a flurry of action in front of the net with another freshman, Jessica Parque, taking two shots at close range. The first was blocked and the second went high. The action was initiated by corner kicks from Maddie Gibson and Savannah Francis.
The win gives the Gauchos (10-4-1 overall, 3-1 in the Big West) a two-game winning streak and 10 wins in their past 12 matches. UC Davis (8-6-2 overall, 1-3-1 in the Big West) has lost three in a row.
The Aggies scored the contest’s first goal in the 18th minute when Andi Damian took advantage of a Gaucho turnover and powered a shot from about 30 yards out, past goalkeeper Beth Ritter and into the lower right hand side of the frame.
UCSB knotted the score at the 34:15 mark when junior midfielder Sara Feder stole the ball in the box and went one-on-one with UC Davis’ Smith. Feder scored on a shot from seven yards out that deflected off the near post. It was her third goal of the season.
Senior Beth Ritter needed just one save to notch the win in goal for Santa Barbara.
The Gauchos will play their final two home games next weekend. On Friday, Oct. 23 they will host UC Riverside at 7:00 p.m. on Meredith Field at Harder Stadium. On Sunday, Oct. 25, they will celebrate their seniors in a pregame ceremony before a 1:00 p.m. match-up with UC Irvine
