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Alumni Team Takes 12-11 Game With UCSB

Box Score

Nov. 8, 2014

Santa Barbara, CA - The Gauchos hosted their alumni today and got a spirited game with players ranging from graduation years 2006 to 2014.  It was Alumni & Co. for an alumni team as assistant coaches Jacklyn Taylor (UC Davis '11) and Eric Valois (UC Davis '12) joined the alumni on the field. The Alumni jumped out the gate in a fast start and took a 6-1 lead in 15 minutes. UCSB weren't ready for the intensity from the alumni, who all the way up to game time were joking around and mostly frolicking. Then when the first whistle blew they flipped their own switch to the on position and took it to the young Gauchos. It was a full fifteen minutes before UCSB responded and started playing. Then the Gauchos scored four unanswered goals over 10 minutes to get to within a goal at 5-6 at halftime.

There were three lessons taught to UCSB by their alumni.  The first was be ready to play and the other, later, was take care of the lead when you have it. The Gauchos took a 11-10 lead over the alumni with less than five minutes remaining and had climbed out of a five goal hole by outscoring the alumni 10-4. This was over 25 minutes of play across the end of the first half and most of the second half. Then on consecutive possessions UCSB forced it on offense when they didn't need a quick goal. The alumni scored each time UCSB gave them the ball to take their 12-11 lead. The final lesson was learned when the alumni executed a nice 14 player stall over the final few minutes, having sneaked two extra players onto the offensive end. The point here isn't they had extra players on the field. The point is they weren't going to throw away their lead and took care of the ball to preserve it, collectively thinking about not shooting and turning it over when they had the game won. 

"Aside from coming out flat in the face of a fired up alumni group we had some breakdowns out there on some simple things," commented UCSB head coach Paul Ramsey. 

Most of the UCSB issues were in the transition game.  Alumni attackers were able to get behind the UCSB defense off the draw and in full field transition.  The alumni used their experience on transition to take advantage, get open and score most of their goals in unsettled play.  At the same time the Gauchos weren't similarly dangerous in transition themselves.

"More full field work will help us fix these issues since they go together, being dangerous off-ball in transition and getting used to defending it," added Ramsey.

It was good for UCSB to get a great game out of their alumni and be challenged. Unlike past falls when it's been play, play and finish with the alumni game this was the first scrimmage of the fall for UCSB this year. The Gauchos head up to Cal Poly SLO for a November 15th scrimmage and then wrap up fall ball hosting the SB Fall Brawl on November 22nd. The alumni game will be good preparation for these next two weekends of play.