Box Score SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Oct. 20, 2022) – The UC Santa Barbara women's soccer team earned a huge win in its penultimate regular season game hosting UC Irvine on Thursday, as Lauren Helwig's dazzling goal from nearly 25 yards out put the Gauchos on top 1-0.
Santa Barbara (4-8-6, 3-3-3) moves up to fifth-place in the Big West standings with the win, a point ahead of the Anteaters (6-4-6, 2-1-5) and CSU Bakersfield which have 11 each.
HOW IT HAPPENED
There weren't many chances for either side in the first half, with UCI heading into the break owning a 2-1 edge in shots on goal. The Anteaters would again own the advantage in the second half, forcing five saves from senior goalkeeper Evann Smith.
The Gauchos put just a single shot on target over the final 45 minutes, but that was all they needed to come away with the win. Heading into the 59th minute, Haley Phillips intercepted a pass in UCSB's attacking third and sent it forward for Samantha Christie. That led to a pass to Helwig near the top of the box. Fresh off her first career brace, Helwig set herself up to shoot with supreme confidence as she ripped one into the top right corner of the net for one of the Gauchos' goals of the year.
The shocking go-ahead shot turned up the pressure from UCI, which spent the rest of the game fighting fiercely to equalize. The Anteaters would have several decent chances, but couldn't find a way to beat Smith as a foggy mist settled on the field over the last 15 minutes of the match. Smith finished with seven saves, her second-highest total of the season.
Helwig has now scored six goals to lead the Gauchos this season, four being scored over the last three games alone. UCSB is 3-1-1 in games where Helwig has scored.
UP NEXT
UCSB will have one more game to decide its postseason fate, when it takes on first place Long Beach State this Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at Harder Stadium.
