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Strong Second Half Propels UCSB past 20th Ranked Chico State

Box Score

Mar. 7, 2009

San Jose, CA - Third ranked UCSB led 6-4 at half-time against 20th ranked Chico State and broke the game open in the second half scoring six of the final seven goals in the contest to win 12-6. The game was played at Pioneer High School in San Jose after a series of youth games ended. Some U-13 and U-15 players from different parts of San Jose were able to watch UCSB play. Jenna Ebert scored unassisted 2:41 into the game to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead before UCSB scored five unanswered goals to take a 5-1 lead with ten minutes remaining until half-time. Chico then battled back and reeled off three goals countered by only one from the Gauchos for the 6-4 partway score, including one Wildcat score with 20 seconds left in the half.

The Wildcats scored the first goal of the second half to pull to within one at 6-5. That was when UCSB responded. Junior Maggie Aker (Oakland, CA) picked up a hat trick with her third goal of the game on an unassisted effort. Junior Sam Lutz (San Diego, CA) fed senior Katie Moran (San Rafael, CA) to put the Gauchos up 8-5. Then sophomore Ashley Antoon-Algieri (San Ramon, CA) scooped up a draw control, avoided two Chico State defenders and passed to a backdoor cutting Lutz thirty yards away. Lutz caught the ball spun outside and sank a low down and away shot to put UCSB up 9-5. A Chico State time-out freshened the Wildcats and Lauren Vance scored off the draw herself just 8 seconds of game time later but that was all Chico could get. The Gauchos scored three more for the final 12-6 margin.

"We got some good looks on transition goals midway through the game that pretty much broke the game open," said second year head coach Paul Ramsey after the game.

"Until then we were having more trouble than we expected solving their defense and their goalie."

Chico State goalie Kim Scheiman finished with 20 saves for a 62.5 save percentage. UCSB freshman goalie Jeni Centner (Tustin, CA) was right with her and stopped 11 shots against her for 64.7%.  In the end it was UCSB limiting Chico opportunities on goal in the second half and the transition goals that made the difference.

We need a strong start tomorrow at Santa Clara," added Ramsey, already thinking ahead.

Junior Monora Seth (San Diego, CA) had another mammoth game with 7 ground balls, 4 caused turnovers and a draw control. Seth had no turnovers herself and only fouled once.  Senior Selina Eadie (Davis, CA) had 4 ground balls and 3 caused turnovers. Moran got some work in at the defensive end to go along with her 2 goals and 2 assists on offense. The senior scooped up 4 ground balls and had 3 caused turnovers. Moran also fouled zero times.

UCSB improved to 9-2 and faces 2nd ranked Santa Clara at Santa Clara on Sunday at 11:00am. Chico dropped to 4-4 and next plays at Cal Poly SLo on March 14th.