UC Irvine Men’s Soccer (3-5-1, 0-1-0) opened up Big West Conference play with a 0-2 loss to the Cal State Fullerton Titans (5-3-3, 1-0-0) at Anteater Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
UCI faced a tough assignment with Fullerton, who were riding an impressive seven-game unbeaten streak going into the matchup. Irvine was also coming off two straight wins of their own before coming up short on Wednesday night.
Neither team was able to gain any momentum as the battle for midfield control remained contested for the first 20 minutes of the game. Eventually, the Anteaters were able to string together multiple scoring opportunities by keeping the ball in their opponents’ territory for the majority of the first half.
Graduate midfielder Francesco Montanile generated the first real scoring opportunity for UCI with a solo run into the right side of the box, but the shot was ultimately deflected out of bounds by Fullerton redshirt sophomore Avery Huggins. Huggins, using his towering 6-foot-5 frame, was a key piece of the Titans’ defense, wreaking havoc inside the penalty box.
The physicality of the game became apparent through the ‘Eaters’ ability to draw multiple fouls in the first half. CSUF conceded three yellow cards in the first half alone, a testament to UCI’s ability to keep possession, as well as Fullerton’s aggressive defense.
“[Physicality] is expected,” Irvine’s Associate Head Coach Cale Rodriguez told New University. “We’re in conference play, so the reality is every game is a war. I don’t think it’s something that our players haven’t seen.”
The Anteater’s best offensive opportunity came when the ball found graduate midfielder Mario Anaya at the top of the box following a corner kick scramble. Anaya blasted a rocket off a one-bounce volley, but Fullerton graduate goalkeeper Brandon Limes was able to effectively deflect the ball off the crossbar and into his own hands.
Momentum began to shift when the Titans caught UCI off guard with a quick corner kick. Redshirt senior Luke Pruter, however, was able to make an impressive diving save after a clear shot from the right side of the box.
For the remainder of the first half, Fullerton amped up the aggressiveness, resulting in control of the midfield and more scoring chances. Irvine struggled to get the ball past their own side after the Titans’ late change of pace, surviving three consecutive CSUF corner kicks to end the half.
Irvine ended the half recording two total shots to Fullerton’s five after a largely defensive 45 minutes.
The momentum gained by Fullerton continued as the second half started strong for the Titans. Fullerton sophomore forward Fitz Williams, who was subbed in at halftime, scored a missile from outside the box just one minute into the second half, with an assist from freshman midfielder Jose de la Torre, putting CSUF up 0-1.
The Titans kept the pressure on, with Irvine struggling to adjust to Fullerton’s offensive pace. De la Torre doubled the lead for Fullerton by taking on three Irvine defenders and sneaking a shot just past the keeper to make the score 0-2.
CSUF controlled possession in the second half despite the ‘Eaters’ increased urgency. Out of this urgency to come back arose a physicality that resulted in three Anteaters receiving yellow cards.
Even with UCI’s extra physicality on defense, CSUF’s ability to control the ball with their dribbling allowed them to effectively drain the clock. While Irvine was able to mount a few more notable opportunities to enter the scoreboard, Fullerton’s defense proved too much.
Ultimately, the Anteater’s attempt at a late comeback fell short as Fullerton walked away with a clean victory of 0-2.
“We need a little bit more clarity in our game model,” Rodriguez said. “It’s ultimately hard to win games when you concede goals, so [we need to be] a little bit stronger defensively.”
UCI looks to bounce back on Saturday, Oct. 5, at UC Davis in their second conference match of the year.
Jordan Hum is a Sports Intern for the fall 2024 quarter. He can be reached at jrhum@uci.edu
Edited by Benjamin Flores and Jaheem Conley