Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - If there is a way that a soccer team can completely dominate a double-overtime scoreless draw, than UC Davis accomplished that in Sunday's Big West Conference season finale in San Luis Obispo. Knowing that a win was needed to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Aggies attacked Cal Poly from the opening whistle until the final horn sounded at Alex Spanos Stadium.

Women's soccer did everything it could to break through on the scoreboard: it took three times as many shots (18-6), recorded three times as many shots on goal (9-3) and tripled the Mustangs' corner kick total (6-2) in a game that ended in a 0-0 tie.

From the outset, UC Davis was the more aggressive team; what started with a blocked shot from Nicole Carson early in the first half continued with additional shots from Celina Minissian and Mandy McKeegan - the latter requiring a save.

In between the Aggies' first two corners of the afternoon were additional shots by Carson (which required another save) and Minissian.

Andi Damian recorded UC Davis' final shot on goal minutes before the break, capping a first half that was primarily spent within Cal Poly's third of the field since the Aggie defense prevented the host Mustangs from recording a shot throughout the final 25:22 of the half.

Even though UC Davis goalkeeper Alexis Smith collected saves on all three of Cal Poly's attempts in the opening half, it was her counterpart, Sophia Brown, who somehow survived a barrage of shots during the first 45 minutes of play and (somehow) entered halftime without allowing a goal.

Once the match resumed, UC Davis attacked the Mustangs' net and rarely let the ball cross into its half of the field for the next 20-plus minutes. The Aggies were able to earn another two corners, and recorded another two shots before Cal Poly was able to test Smith for the first time.

Twenty-five minutes after the second half started, Cal Poly recorded its first shot of the half. And that kick would have been a more dangerous field goal attempt than a kick on goal since the ball sailed high to Smith's left, nowhere near the Aggies' net.

That shot ended up being the only one taken by Cal Poly for the next 23 minutes of game time.

Even though there was no score through regulation, it was a "when, not if" situation with the way UC Davis was playing. Throughout both overtime periods, the Aggies outshot the Mustangs by a combined 9-2 margin, and were relentless on offense throughout both 10-minute periods.

In the first overtime, Alicia Sloss, Rachel Ahr and Damian repeatedly tested Brown; in the second OT, Damian and Sloss combined for all of the Aggies' five shots.

UC Davis' never-ending pressure nearly paid dividends in the 104th minute when Sloss' fifth, and final shot eluded Brown's reach. However, a Mustang defender placed herself in the right position, at the right time, to record a team save and keep the game scoreless entering the homestretch.

Led by Damian and Sloss with five total shots and three shots on goal apiece, seven different Aggies tested Cal Poly's keeper throughout the entire match. By comparison, Smith did not record another save - or needed to since the ball rarely crossed midfield after collecting her first three during the inaugural minutes of the match.

Sunday's hard-fought battle also marked the final appearance for six members of women's soccer's senior class: Ahr, Nicole Bouvia, Damian, Minissian, Zuzu Romano and Nicole Smolinski.

UC Davis ends the 2016 season in fifth place with a 7-8-4 overall and 3-3-2 Big West record. Sunday's result pushes Cal Poly's final records to 6-10-3 and 1-5-2.