Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. - A brilliant goal from Andi Damian in the 18th minute gave UC Davis a 1-0 lead in Sunday's Big West Conference match at Aggie Soccer Field, but an equalizer scored in the 35th minute, and the game-winning shot in the 87th helped UC Santa Barbara defeat the Aggies by a 2-1 score.

Women's soccer will now enter Thursday's Senior Day match against Hawai'i with an 8-6-2 overall and 1-3-1 Big West record. UC Santa Barbara bumps its records to 10-4-1 and 3-1.

Thanks to back-to-back heads-up plays, Damian notched her second career goal and first of the season.

After intercepting a pass on what initially looked like a UCSB counterattack, the junior midfielder took a step before blasting a shot towards goal. With Gaucho defenders marking Aggies that were sprinting down each sideline once the turnover was committed, Damian saw Gaucho goalkeeper Beth Ritter shading towards the far post and ripped a shot towards the goal.

"We talk about goal scoring, and one of those ways is an individual moment of brilliance. This is a world-class goal, and she is capable of replicating this in the near future," said UC Davis head coach Twila Kaufman.

"She's bringing what takes place at practice into the game. Andi deserves all the credit for that strike."

Even if Gaucho goalkeeper Beth Ritter was paying attention, she would have struggled to get a hand on Damian's shot - one that curled away from her before coming to a rest inside the lower right-hand side of the goal.

Nearly 17 minutes passed before UCSB scored the equalizer in similar fashion; after creating a turnover inside the 18-yard box, Sara Feder punched her shot towards the upper right-hand corner of the goal.

Unlike Damian's shot, which was taken 30 yards away, Feder's attempt took place approximately seven yards out.

This hard-fought, evenly played match remained tied at 1-1 until the 87th minute, when UCSB's leading scorer, Mallory Hromatko, took a shot from just inside the right-hand corner of the penalty area. That kick traveled across the goalmouth, and snuck inside the near post, to give the Gauchos a 2-1 lead with 3:27 remaining.

Led by Rachel Smith with four, the Aggies recorded seven shots and two shots on goal. UCSB finished its day with eight shots and three shots on goal.

Ritter and UC Davis netminder Alexis Smith each recorded one save.

"As an incredibly competitive person, who is in charge of 28 incredibly competitive women, losing at home is not acceptable. But the momentum from the way we attacked today and the energy our crowd gave us helped us play an exciting match."

Added Kaufman, "when we are able to convert on some of those opportunities on offense, we will take a huge jump as a program; you can see on the field just how close we are from taking that next step."

The final home match of the season will take place on Thursday, Oct. 22, when Hawai'i visits Davis. Women's soccer will honor six of its seniors in a pregame ceremony before that day's 4 p.m. kickoff.


Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
UC Santa Barbara.... 1 1 - 2
UC Davis................... 1 0 - 1

SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 17:44 UCD Damian, Andi (1) (unassisted) - Turnover leads to shot from 30 yds. out. Beats keeper lower RHS.
2. 34:15 UCSB Feder, Sara (3) (unassisted) - Turnover inside the box leads to 1v1 from 7 yds.
3. 86:33 UCSB Hromatko, Mallory (7) (Kokoska, Ryan) - On turnover, taken from just outside the corner of the box, LHS.

Shots: UC Santa Barbara 8, UC Davis 7
Saves: UC Santa Barbara 1 (Ritter, Beth 1), UC Davis 1 (Smith, Alexis 1)

UC Santa Barbara (10-4-1, 3-1 BWC) vs. UC Davis (8-6-2, 1-3-1 BWC)
Date: 10/18/15
Attendance: 617
Weather: Partly cloudy, 75 degrees, slightly muggy.