SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – UC Davis saw its season come to an end when number-four seed UC San Diego scored in the dying seconds of the match to edge the 9-8 victory in the quarterfinal round of the Big West Conference Tournament.
 
For the second straight year, UC Davis (15-14, 3-4 Big West) suffers a one-goal defeat to the Tritons on the final day of season. Despite senior Ally Clague's game-tying goal with less than 30 seconds on the clock, the Aggies were unable to hold on as UC San Diego's Maja Layden found the back of the cage with three seconds remaining to lift her team to the narrow win.
 
Shining in her final collegiate game was four-time All-American Noëlle Wijnbelt, who scored a game-high four goals on the day. She drew one kickout and registered a field block in a fantastic send-off performance from the Tustin, Calif. native.
 
Ally Clague scored twice on the afternoon in a stellar showing for the senior's final game. The graduate student tallied two steals as she made her presence felt on the defensive end. Kelly Hungerford provided two assists as she wraps up her excellent sophomore campaign as the Aggies' leader in points, recording 68 on the year.
 
Sophia Noble was terrific between the posts as the UC Davis all-time saves leader made 11 stops in her last contest as an Aggie.
 
How It Happened
 
After six straight scoreless minutes to start the game, UC San Diego finally found the breakthrough at the 2:09 mark in the first quarter. Hailey Williams replied for the Aggies, scoring with 40 seconds left in the period to even the score at 1-1.
 
UC Davis took the lead early in the second quarter when Wijnbelt scored her first goal of the contest. The Tritons took the momentum into the break, however, two quick goals allowed UC San Diego to post a 3-2 lead.
 
Senior Wijnbelt and Clague answered with back-to-back goals to turn the score in their favor. A Triton goal leveled the score once again, but the Aggies would turn to their leading goal-scorer, Wijnbelt, to restore the one-goal advantage. UC San Diego once again closed the quarter with a huge momentum-swinging play when Caroline Christl scored at the buzzer to make the score 5-5 going into the last eight minutes.

The Tritons promptly took the lead in the last period before Wijnbelt and Alyssa Lengtat scored in succession to put the Aggies out in front. Another surge from UC San Diego, using a five-meter shot and a power-play goal, allowed the Tritons to regain the advantage. Head Coach Kandace Waldthaler called a timeout to draw up a play for Clague with 29 seconds remaining, and it worked to perfection, as the center defender would net the tying goal.
 
On UC San Diego's final possession, Layden found the back of the cage with just three seconds left on the clock, sending UC Davis out of the Big West Conference Tournament with the game-winning goal.
 
The Aggies conclude the season ranked No. 11 in the most recent CWPA poll and finish fifth in the Big West standings.