Oct. 25, 2006

Final Stats

DAVIS, Calif. - Redshirt freshman Paul Marcoux and sophomore Quincy Amarikwa each scored goals to lead UC Davis to a 2-0 win over UC Riverside in non-conference collegiate men's soccer action at Aggie Soccer Stadium Wednesday. Both scores took place during the second half, when the Aggies played into a wind that gusted at speeds in excess of 30 miles per hour.

UC Davis, playing in its final home contest, improve to 9-6-2 for the season. The win also clinches a winning season for the Aggies, who are nearing the end of their fourth and final season of a reclassification period to NCAA Division I membership. The Highlanders fall to 4-10-2 overall.

Senior Russ Brown and freshman Chris Leer each earned assists. Brown delivered Marcoux the team's first goal in the 56th minute, while Leer assisted Amarikwa in the 82nd.

The Aggies outshot Riverside by an 8-1 during the first half but were unable to reach the scoreboard. Midfielder Sule Anibaba had the first such chance, sailing his wind-aided shot high and wide right of the cage. Sophomore Dan Campbell and junior Julien Cerutti each had similar results on their first-half attempts, as the gusts tended to force shots to miss wildly off frame. Both teams entered the halftime break in a scoreless tie.

With the wind behind the Highlanders in the second half, senior Josh Valerio and freshman Jeff Mowdy each fired attempts on goal in the early going. Valerio sent a low ball that two-hopped Aggie goalkeeper Charles Warne before coming to rest in the keeper's hands. Warne later punched out a loose ball deep into the midfield, which Mowdy corralled and sent back toward the UC Davis net. Warne again made the save, his second of three in the contest.

The Aggies finally broke the seal at the 55:16 mark when Brown delivered a ball from the midfield to Marcoux, just above the penalty box. Marcoux advanced to approximately the 16-yard line, then blasted a shot into the lower right corner of the Riverside net.

UC Davis nearly added a second goal in the 67th minute as sophomore Ian Conklin, advancing up the left flank, centered a cross to freshman Chris Leer. Leer's shot slammed off the left post of the UCR cage, and the Highlanders successfully cleared the ball to end the Aggie threat. Leer found redemption in the 82nd minute when his pass hopped over the Riverside defense and found Amarikwa on the left side of the penalty box. Amarikwa finished the scoring play for his ninth goal of the season.

Wednesday's game represented the final home game for Warne, Brown and midfielder Mariano Arrua. A fourth Aggie senior, defender Darren Hammond, sat out the contest while serving a red card from the previous weekend.

UC Davis concludes the 2006 season at UC Irvine on Saturday.

GOALS - UCR: none. UC Davis: Paul Marcoux (Russ Brown), 55:16; Quincy Amarikwa (Chris Leer), 81:16.
SHOTS - UCR: 8. UC Davis: 14.
SAVES - UCR: Charles Alamo 6 (90:00). UC Davis: Charles Warne 3 (88:19), Brian Wickers 0 (1:41)
CORNERS - UCR: 2. UC Davis: 3.
FOULS - UCR: 6. UC Davis: 15.