Score: UC Davis 2, Santa Clara 1
Location: Davis, Calif.
Records: UC Davis, 1-1-1, Santa Clara 1-1-0
The short story: Senior
Keegan Walwyn-Bent recorded a brace in the first half, lifting UC Davis (1-1-1) to a 2-1 victory over Santa Clara (1-1-0) on Saturday evening at Aggie Soccer Field. The win marks the Aggies' first of the 2024 season.
PITCH SIDE
- Walwyn-Bent was the standout for the Aggies tonight, scoring both of UC Davis' goals
- Junior Zack Lillington made a significant impact on both ends of the pitch, assisting on both of Walwyn-Bent's goals and playing a crucial role in the Aggie defense, limiting the Broncos to just one goal
- Junior goalkeeper Noah Schwengeler had his best performance in an Aggie uniform, making five saves against a relentless Santa Clara offense that registered 16 total shots
- Junior Andrew Dutra also made his presence felt, assisting on UC Davis' second goal and recording one shot on goal
- For Santa Clara, junior transfer Tyler Tipton rose above the Aggie defense to score the Broncos' lone goal with a header in the first half
HOW IT HAPPENED
- In the 14th minute, Walwyn-Bent's attempt from inside the box was halted due to an offside call.
- Not taking much time to break through, Walwyn-Bent officially got on the board in the 18th minute, striking home with a left-footed finish to take a 1-0 lead
- The Aggies remained on the attack, with Walwyn-Bent scoring again just minutes later to give UC Davis a 2-0 lead in the 21st minute
- Santa Clara responded in the 39th minute, with Tipton heading in a goal to make it 2-1 in favor of UC Davis heading into halftime
- In the second half, the Aggie backline stood tall, limiting the Broncos to just six shots over the final 45 minutes while Schwengeler made three crucial saves to help seal the UC Davis win
NOTABLE
- UC Davis is 2-0-1 in the last three matches against Santa Clara
- Saturday was Walwyn-Bent's second career brace
- Saturday was Lillington's first career game with two or more assists
- Lucas Fernandez-Kim and Cole Pond played the full 90 in the field
NEXT UP: UC Davis will embark on a road trip to Corvallis on Sunday, Sept. 8, to face a formidable Oregon State team, currently ranked and coming off an impressive College Cup appearance in 2023.
