Men’s Soccer: UCI collapses into second
Most Americans live paycheck to paycheck, perched on the precipice of a mere 15-day interval between a twice-monthly collection on the investment of their labor.
It took the UC Irvine men’s soccer team just 15 days to go from the profitable perch of a No. 3 national ranking, to the verge of potential postseason homelessness.
A 2-0 loss to visiting UC Riverside in the regular-season finale for both teams Wednesday, completed a late-season collapse that has ostensibly turned a once-bullish campaign into a disappointment almost too improbable to bear.
On Oct. 21, the Anteaters were 11-1-2, ranked No. 3, and a last-minute loss at UC Santa Barbara away from the only unblemished record in America.
But a 2-1 loss at UC Riverside on Oct. 22 began a slide in which UCI (12-5-2, 4-5-1 in conference) lost four of five matches and, only with the benefit of ties the last two games that kept Cal State Fullerton one point behind, were the ‘Eaters able to salvage second place in the four-team Big West South Division.
A Fullerton win over Cal State Northridge Wednesday would have put UCI on the road against UC Davis in the first round of the six-team conference tournament on Saturday. Instead, the ‘Eaters play host to Sacramento State (6-10-3, 4-5-1), the No. 3 team in the North Division, Saturday at 7 p.m.
UC Riverside, which entered conference play 1-6-1 and was 2-9-3 before topping the ‘Eaters on Oct. 22, claims the program’s first conference crown of any kind. The Highlanders (5-9-4, 4-3-3) had never finished higher than third in any conference configuration since joining the Division I ranks in 2001.
“I don’t know if it’s disappointment as much as frustration,” first-year UCI coach Chris Volk said. “We’ve made it more difficult for ourselves [to make the NCAA Tournament] at this point, but we still have an opportunity to get the automatic qualifying berth if we win the conference tournament. I’ve been around long enough to know that it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. And that’s something the NCAA is going to look at [when handing out at-large berths].”
UC Riverside sophomore forward Tyler Miguel scored both goals Wednesday, in the 24th and 34th minute, to deny No. 18-ranked UCI the win or tie that would have wrapped up its second straight South Division title.
The Highlanders’ statistical history made the course of events even more unlikely. Miguel had not scored previously this season and senior goalkeeper K.C. John, making his third start, had not recorded a win in 2014.
“[The win] means a lot for the program, which is still in its infant stages,” said Highlanders Coach Tim Cupello, whose team gets a bye into the conference tournament semifinals. “[UCI] is still a good team and our conference is a great conference. It’s our first division title and the first time we will be able to host a playoff game. It’s only the third time we have made the postseason.”
The ‘Eaters had the better scoring chances early and mounted a furious rally that helped John amass six saves, most with a high degree of difficulty. UCI posted a 17-13 advantage in shots and a 9-1 edge in corner kicks.
“I have to give Riverside credit,” Volk said. “They defended well. They had team blocks and they had goalkeeper saves. I mean they were cleaning everything up in front of the goal.”
UCI had been cleaning up in Irvine, winning its first six home games this season, during which it outscored foes, 11-1. But the ‘Eaters have now been outscored, 5-0, in consecutive home losses, and now must hope to turn things around Saturday.
“We’re struggling scoring goals,” Volk said. “I believe we definitely have run into a little bit of a mental block. It’s not for lack of trying and lack of creating opportunities, but when you are stymied a little bit and you don’t score goals, it’s frustrating.
“[UCI’s recent struggles] are a testament to the fact that our conference is very good,” Volk said. “Five of the six teams in the conference tournament were playing for seeding on the last day of conference play.”
The Anteaters, at least, survive to play another day.