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Gauchos Catch Gators To Force Overtime and Get Quarterfinal Win

Box Score

May. 5, 2011

Scottsdale, AZ - Sophomore Katie Mitchell (Lafayette, CA) scored the winning goal with 24 seconds left in overtime to give UCSB a WCLA National Championship Tournament quarterfinal win over 2nd seeded Florida. The goal capped off an improbable comeback and UCSB won 12-11 in overtime. Seventh seeded UCSB was down 8-10 with about four minutes left in the game but some hustle, effort and enthusiasm resulted in a 3 goal run. The second goal in that run tied the game with 8 seconds remaining in regulation. The win reversed the outcome from when the two teams met on February 19th. Florida won that game 11-7 in Santa Barbara. The weather cooperated again tonight in Scottsdale with the temperature dropping under 70 degrees by the opening draw at 8:00pm. Some fans went to their cars for jackets and sweatshirts. With everyone now acclimated to the 90 degree daytime temperatures the evening cool off to 70 seemed chilly.

The winning goal came after junior Jeni Centner (Tustin, CA) saved a point blank Florida shot for her second save of the extra inning. With time winding down Centner took a chance and ran the ball upfield before making a long clear that landed near Mitchell on the other side of the midfield line. The midfielder scooped up the ground ball to wheel and deal her way past her defender and then around another Gator over the remaining 30 yards down the field for an unassisted goal that gave UCSB the win.

"That was a heads up play by Jeni to cheap it upfield like that and it worked out for us," said UCSB head coach Paul Ramsey about the winning play.

Centner had 12 saves in regulation in advance of her two big saves in overtime for a total of 14 saves for 60.9%. UCSB broke a Florida stall when the Gators were up 11-10 with a minute left in regulation and forced an errant pass to get the chance to tie it. Transition onto offense found the ball in senior Ashley Antoon-Algieri's stick and the attacker drove to goal. With 11 seconds on the clock she was fouled. Antoon-Algieri scored her 7th goal of the game on the resulting 8 meter free position shot. The attacker stuck it to make it an 11-11 come-from-behind tie for UCSB with 8 seconds left on the clock.

"That's about how our post-season has gone for us so far both at our conference finals and here, with a little luck catching up to all of our hard work," added Ramsey.

Senior Ashley Antoon-Algieri (San Ramon, CA) scored 7 goals for the second game here in Scottsdale, had 5 draw controls, 5 ground balls and 2 caused turnovers. The attacker also had an assist on a selfless play from an 8 meter free position opportunity. Antoon-Algieri had the center hash for the shot but spotted sophomore Lindsay Remigio (Syosset, NY) open low to the side, fed her the ball and then Remigio put it in for a UCSB goal.

"Either choice there would have been a good choice but Ashley dished it off to involve a teammate," said Ramsey.

The point earned on the assist contributed toward Antoon-Algieri's 8 points for the game with her 7 goals and 1 assist total. The point earned on her 7th goal was both her 80th goal of the season and her 100th point of the season. It marks the first time in four years that a UCSB player has reached the 100 point plateau. For her career Antoon-Algieri has 202 goals and 92 assists, a total of 294 points at the rate of 1 point per goal and 1 point per assist.

Freshman Blair Evans (Santa Catalina, CA) snared 5 draw controls and 6 ground balls to go along with a goal. Juniors Shawna Falk (San Diego, CA) and Megan Dawe (Martinez, CA) had 4 ground balls apiece.

The over-achieving Gauchos improved to 15-7 overall but more importantly advance to the national semifinals. UCSB will face Colorado State in an 8:00pm game on Friday at the Scottsdale Sports Complex. The 6th seeded Rams upset 3rd seeded UC Davis with a 12-9 win. CSU beat UCSB 8-7 on April 2nd in Fort Collins.

On the other side of the bracket 4th seeded Santa Clara beat 12th seeded Cal Poly SLO 18-10 while 9th ranked UCLA upset top seeded Colorado 11-7. The three WWLL teams winning in the quarterfinals makes it the first time three teams from the same conference have been in the event's final four. UCLA and Santa Clara play in the 6:00pm semifinal.

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