Davis, Calif. — Rainy conditions at Aggie Soccer Field provided one of the most memorable goals of the season for UC Davis, as Emma Vane and the Aggies pulled through with a hard-fought victory over UC Santa Barbara, taking down the Gauchos 1-0 Sunday afternoon.
Fresh off a game in which Risa Yamada delivered the third-fastest goal in program history during the Aggies' last contest, Vane followed it up today by scoring a goal from nearly mid-field, supplying the game-winning goal for UC Davis in just the fifth minute of action.
As it stands, the Aggies currently hold the first-place position within the Big West standings with 17 points as they await the results from Cal Poly, and the matchup between Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State.
With rain having a heavy impact on the game, possession was a focus for the Aggies after the early goal and it was apparent that
Tracy Hamm's squad was in control right from kick-off.
Making it a point of emphasis to create more pressure with corner kicks after recording none in Thursday's game against Cal Poly, the Aggies dominated the possession and created more chances than the Gauchos, outshooting them 16-8 and having five corner kicks to one.
Among those 16 shots, 10 different Aggies recorded attempts with
Leslie Fregoso,
Lindsey Porter,
Kylie Garcia and Vane accounting for six shots on goal.
The Gauchos had some opportunities of their own to equalize, especially in the second half, but the Aggies' defense held firm and denied them any clear shots on goal. Goalkeeper
Caeley Goldstein, made three saves to record her second-straight shutout and sixth of the season. Goldstein is now ranked first in the conference in goals against average, and shutouts per game.
While the rain was prevalent, the game was also marked by some physical play and fouls from both sides, resulting in 25 fouls and two yellow cards. The most notable incident occurred in the 88th minute when
Sarah Canavan and Alyssa O'Brien of UC Santa Barbara were both booked for a scuffle as Canavan was tripped up on a breakaway that very easily could have resulted in a second Aggie goal.
Not getting caught up in the heat of the moment, Canavan and the Aggies focused on the bigger picture and held on to the lead late, moving UC Davis closer and closer to their ultimate goal of winning a Big West title. Having won two straight games and with the other Big West games mentioned above happening later today, UC Davis has a real chance to host the Big West Championships.
UP NEXT
Looking to extend their winning streak to three and claim the regular season title outright, UC Davis will conclude the regular season with a game at UC Irvine on Thursday, October 26. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PT.
