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DAVIS, Calif. – A near-sellout crowd of 931 fans — the highest attendance since UC Davis joined the Big West Conference in 2007 — packed Aggie Soccer Field for Sunday's Big West Conference game against Cal Poly, and were treated to an entertaining afternoon of soccer from start to finish.
 
Nicki Rucki ended her day with 10 saves — the first time she finished with a double-digit total as an Aggie — which included a diving stop early in the second half to preserve a scoreless tie.
 
But it was a one-timer from Cal Poly, scored in the 51st minute, that somehow traveled untouched through a pile of players stationed in front of the Aggies' goal, that led to a 1-0 decision for the Mustangs.
  
The Aggies put half of their 12 shots on frame, but were unable to shoot one past Cal Poly goalkeeper Sophia Brown, who finished with six saves. Ana Williams, Bryanna Duckett, Janae Gonzalez and Casey Palmer each led UC Davis with two shots apiece; led by Williams' two, four of the team's six shots on goal came from that quartet.
 
Women's soccer will look to bounce back when it returns to Southern California for the team's next set of games, which starts Friday night (Oct. 18) at Long Beach State. That trip will continue on Sunday, Oct. 20, at UC Riverside with a 2 p.m. matchup before the Aggies return home.

UC Davis will enter that road trip with a 5-9 overall and 0-4 Big West record; Cal Poly will continue its season at 4-9-1 and 1-2.
 
The team's next home match is set for October 27 (1 p.m.) in the first of a two-game homestand.
 
 
AGGIE EVO
Established during the 2017-18 academic year, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation.
 
Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis.
 
Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
 
MARYA WELCH INITIATIVE
Named after the former physical education instructor, coach and Dean of Women who founded women's sports on the campus 25 years before the passage of Title IX, the Marya Welch Initiative for Women's Athletics provides comprehensive support for UC Davis' 16 athletics programs.

Through the support of the Marya Welch Initiative and its group members, student-athletes are provided the best possible opportunity to succeed inside the classroom, and in competition, through special project gifts and by increasing visibility and participation at women's events throughout the year.

All gifts to the Marya Welch Initiative are matched 1:1, doubling the impact on our women's programs.

To learn more about Marya Welch Initiative projects, like this group on Facebook, or join this groundbreaking program by clicking here, contacting Assistant AD for Leadership Giving and Alumni Engagement Liz Martin at (530) 752-7326 or emartin@ucdavis.edu.
 
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley.
 
The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation, according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.