DAVIS, Calif – It was a battle of the Big West unbeatens on Saturday afternoon inside Schaal Aquatics Center, but it was No. 6 UC Irvine who edged the 7-5 victory over UC Davis to retain its top spot in the conference standings.
UC Davis (13-10, 2-1 Big West) held their own against one of the nation's top teams, holding the Anteaters to their second-lowest goal tally of the season. It was a low-scoring affair that saw the Aggies gain the lead early in the third quarter. However, a late push from the visitors allowed them to regain a lead that they would not surrender, eventually earning the 7-5 win.
Ally Clague was the lone Aggie to score multiple times, netting two goals on the afternoon.
Kelly Hungerford enjoyed a solid performance with a goal and two assists while
Noëlle Wijnbelt and
Grace Pelkey also contributed a goal apiece on the offensive end.
Sophia Noble was fantastic between the posts and her excellent play kept UC Davis within striking distance. She registered 11 saves for her ninth double-digit haul of the year. Her save percentage of .611 marks the ninth time she has posted a figure above the .600 mark this season.
How It Happened
The Anteaters opened up a two-goal lead at the halfway point in the first period before Hungerford found the back of the cage at the 2:10 mark to cut the lead in half.
Both teams would tighten up defensively in a scoreless second quarter. UC Davis came out firing to start the second half when Wijnbelt finished off a beautiful pass from Hungerford. The Aggies later took the lead when Clague scored less than a minute later. UC Irvine immediately took a timeout to regroup and made some adjustments that proved to be very effective, as the Anteaters went on to score five unanswered goals.
This stretch allowed the visitors to put the game out of reach despite late goals from Pelkey and Clague.
The Anteaters would win their sixth straight contest and remain undefeated in conference play following the 7-5 victory while UC Davis suffers its second straight defeat and its first in Big West action.
Up Next
The Aggies will play their final nonconference game of the season when Santa Clara makes its way to Davis tomorrow afternoon for a 12 p.m. matchup at Schaal Aquatics Center.
