Nov. 18, 2004

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - This Week
Saturday, November 20, 2004-2:00 p.m.
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos vs. UC Irvine Anteaters
At UC Santa Barbara's Campus Pool

The Gaucho Record
When No. 9 UCSB dropped another match last weekend to then No. 11 Pepperdine, it marked the fifth consecutive match that the Gauchos had fallen. Coming into this weekend's match, the Gauchos hold a 17-11 overall record and a 2-6 mark in the MPSF. UC Santa Barbara will look to snap the five match skid by knocking off a tough and hot, of late, UC Irvine squad. In addition to potentially snapping the losing streak,this weekend's match versus UC Irvine marks the last home match for Seniors Brian Alexander and Andrew Schoneberger, as well as the last match for Manager Paul Helfer

Heartbreaking losses
Over the five match losing streak, the Gauchos have found themselves on the short end of a one-goal decision in three out of the five matches played. After three overtime periods, UC Santa Barbara dropped its first match to Long Beach State 12-11. That loss was followed by losses to No. 2 Stanford and top-ranked UCLA. Once again, the next two matches for the Gauchos were decided by one goal. UC Santa Barbara fell to UC Irvine on the road 9-8 before returning home and dropping a match to Pepperdine 6-5 last weekend.

Superior Senior
Over four years of play, three as a starter, at UCSB, senior Andrew Schoneberger has amassed 108 goals, which is good enough to rank him 16th on the all time Gaucho scoring list. With four more matches left to play (UC Irvine, three matches in MPSF Tournament) in the season, Schoneberger currently sits six goals behind the No. 15 spot now occupied by Clair Ballard.

Alexander the Great
Fourth-year player Brian Alexander has been nothing short of a goal-scoring machine--leading the Gaucho's scoring list last year and doing so once again this year. Over the four years, Alexander has posted 140 total goals, leaving him tied for the No. 9 spot on the all time scoring list. With four games remaining in the season, Alexander is one goal behind the eighth spot and three goals behind the seventh.

Scouting the Anteaters
UC Irvine enters this weekend's match ranked No. 5 in the nation with a 15-11 overall record and a 4-4 mark in the MPSF. Irvine is coming off a 12-8 pounding of Cal Baptist earlier this week on Wednesday. The Anteaters also gave top-ranked UCLA a run for its money, but fell 7-6 last Sunday. Dreason Barry leads the Anteaters' offensive attack with 61 goals on the season, while Rick Merlo ranks a close second with 56 goals. Joe Wynne is UC Irvine's top goalkeeper with 201 saves on the season.