Oct. 10, 2004
RIVERSIDE, Calif. -
Sophomore forward Allie Kueny scored with 1:34 remaining in the second overtime period to give UC Santa Barbara a 2-1 victory over UC
Riverside Sunday at the UCR Soccer Stadium. The loss is Riverside¹s first of the year and snaps its twelve game unbeaten run to start the season.
The Highlanders and Gauchos were about as neck-and-neck as two teams could be throughout the game. They each had eight shots and six corner kicks while UCR committed one fewer foul, 13-12. For the first half, neither team conceded much with the Highlanders holding a 2-1 shot advantage.
The game really picked up in the second half, as strong fan support from both sides urged the teams forward. UCR found a way to break the deadlock first, scoring at the 73:38 mark. Freshman forward Kacie McElrath found junior midfielder Angela Reling in the penalty box off a throw-in. Reling held the ball up long enough for the Gaucho defenders to commit before slotting the ball back to junior midfielder Renee Scachetti. Without hesitation, Scachetti fired a right-footed shot from the edge of the area into the upper corner to give UCR a 1-0 lead. The goal was Scachetti¹s fifth of the season and school-record twelfth of her career.
Holding the slim lead, UCR almost hung on for the victory. In fact, the Highlanders nearly made it 2-0 but sophomore forward Amber Plumlee could not connect on a header in the box.
With three minutes remaining, UCSB (9-4-1, 4-0-0) equalized. Forward
Jennifer Borcich lost her marker inside the six-yard box and headed a cross from forward Chandi Bickford to send the game into overtime. The goal was Borcich's tenth of the season and the 51st of her career.
The first overtime period had plenty of excitement but no clear chances as the game remained knotted at one. UCR was reduced to ten players in the 99th minute but continued to battle on. Just as Riverside was looking to secure its third consecutive tie in conference play, the Gauchos ended the match. Bickford made a run down the right and crossed it to Kueny, who sent a volley towards the goal. Sophomore goalie Tawny Poggio got a hand to it but could not keep it out.
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Poggio stopped two shots, as did UCSB freshman Catherine Burson.
The Gauchos, who are unbeaten in their last six matches (5-0-1) and have gone 8-1-1 since a 1-3 start, play at Cal Poly on Friday, October 15 in a 7:00 p.m. match.
