UCI Men’s Soccer (3-11-1, 3-3-0) was victorious against the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners (2-11-2, 0-6-1), winning 2-1 at UCI’s Anteater Stadium on Wednesday, Oct.19.
The Anteaters netted a crucial win that helped claim sixth place in the Big West standings tied with Sacramento State and UCSD, all three teams boasting nine points.
In the opening minutes, the Anteaters started on the wrong foot. UCI sophomore midfielder Mario Anaya lost a foot race to CSUB freshman forward Atli Stefansson and drew enormous contact inside the goal box. The contact resulted in a penalty kick for CSU Bakersfield that was scored by senior midfielder Carlos Armendariz.
Confident in their 1-0 lead, the Roadrunners increased their ball pressure and made it a hassle for the Anteaters to bring the ball past the midfield. Nonetheless, UCI remained calm and crescendoed into a slew of multiple goal attempts.
In minute 16, UCI junior midfielder Oscar Cervantes centered a long pass from the midfield into the penalty box to sophomore midfielder Francesco Montanile. He gathered the ball, pushed past his defender, and faced the CSU Bakersfield goalkeeper Filippo Dadone head on. Montanile forced a shot into Filippo and the ball was tipped out of bounds.
As minute 19 rolled by, UCI’s goal attempts finally bore fruit. From the midfield, Anaya sent a long Hail Mary pass deep into Roadrunner territory where it arrived at the hot attacking prospect, Montanile. From the left side of the penalty box, he volleyed into the center toward sophomore forward Jake Means and the ball was perfectly pitched into the net. The score was now tied 1-1.
Not long after, UCI rallied for yet another goal attempt spearheaded by Montanile, but nothing came out of it
The final notable goal attempt came at the 40-minute mark. Anaya from the defensive line sent the ball flying into the roadrunner penalty box. There it reached freshman forward AgatonPourshahidi who tried to set up a shot, but goalkeeper Filippo proactively rushed the ball and smothered UCI’s final goal attempt of the half.
At the half, UCI boasted six shots on the goal to CSU Bakersfield’s one and the Roadrunners boasted five saves to the Anteaters. Despite UCI’s relentless shot attempts, Roadrunner goalkeeper Fillippo kept them inside the game through numerous saves.
The second half opened to a dry spell of goal attempts that were broken by UCI off a corner kick. UCI junior forward Juan Barragan-Manzo served the ball into the center where it was sent high into the air by a header.
Another header by graduate student forward Robert Mejia sent the ball back into the air. Finally, the ball descended near Montanile who jumped and sent it into the net for his second goal of the night breaking CSU Bakersfield’s almost seemingly impenetrable defense. UCI, off their first shot-on-goal attempt, scored the first goal of the second half.
UCI continued to attack throughout the second half, but was thwarted by a handful of offside calls and blocks by Filippo. The game ended 2-1 in favor of UCI.
Jason Garcia Escobar is a Sports Intern for the fall 2022 quarter. He can be reached at jasonag3@uci.edu.