Box Score SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – On the strength of a three-goal outburst in the second half, UC Santa Barbara rolled past visiting Long Beach State in a Big West Conference women's soccer match on Sunday afternoon, 3-0.
The Gauchos (5-7-4 overall, 1-3-1 in Big West) and 49ers (7-6-2, 1-3-1) were tied 0-0 after a physical first half that saw the teams combine for four yellow cards.
UCSB wasted little time breaking through in the second half. At the 46:08 mark, Long Beach committed a foul in the box and Amanda Ball capitalized by putting the penalty kick into the left of the goal for her ninth goal of the season, giving her team a 1-0 lead.
The final two Gaucho goals were beauties.
In the 70th minute, Colby Parker took a free kick from above the left hand side of the penalty box. She crushed a pass across the top of the box, finding Ball streaking down the right side. Ball headed the pass to the right of 49er goalkeeper Mia Hummel, into the left post, giving the Gauchos a 2-0 lead. It was her 10th goal of the season.
UCSB put the icing on the cake at the 75:10 mark when Amaya Zabalza booted a cross from right to left across the goal box. Shaelan Murison, who was streaking into the left side of the goal mouth, headed the ball and bounced it past Hummel.
"Today, we really deserved to win," said Gaucho head coach Paul Stumpf. "I thought we played well in Hawaii (Thursday) and didn't have anything to show for it. Today, we really earned the victory."
The physical play in the first half continued in the second half. By the end of the game, the teams had combined for 36 fouls, including 21 by the Gauchos. Each team had just eight total shots. Long Beach had three shots on frame but UCSB goalkeeper Maddie Julian was up to the task as she stopped all three.
The victory by Santa Barbara ended a seven-match winning streak in the series by Long Beach.
UCSB hits the road next weekend for a pair of Big West Conference matches. On Thursday, Oct. 19 the Gauchos play at UC Davis in a 3:00 p.m. contest and on Sunday, Oct. 22 they will play a 5:00 p.m. match at Cal State Fullerton that will be carried on ESPN3.
