SANTA BARBARA, Calif (Oct. 6, 2022) – The UC Santa Barbara men's soccer team took to the Harder Stadium field Saturday night for its match against Cal State Fullerton. The Gauchos were determined to keep a strong grip on their top spot in the Big West Conference and claim a four-shutout streak. 

No. 24 UCSB remains first in the Big West, while the Titans remain a spot behind

While the first period scoreline showed no movement, the opposite can be said about the action on the field. UCSB's skill was definitely matched as both teams battled to eliminate their tie in wins and prevail in the Big West. While the ball was kept in the Gaucho's possession for much of the first half, the Tritons were presented numerous opportunities to score. Despite the danger posed by CSUF's counterattacks, the Gaucho's presented a durable defense. An exceptional display of defense by senior midfielder Sam Fletcher came to the Gaucho's rescue on two occasions in the first half.  

While the deadly threat of Fullerton's counter attacks did not diminish, The Gaucho's held their ground in the second half. Fletcher, once again, headed the Gaucho's defensive fight with three tackles. Junior German Goalkeeper Leroy Zeller put on a spectacular performance as he defended to increase his and the Gaucho's shutout streak. A face-paced reaction at a swift shot at the bottom right of the net, followed by two more graceful saves, brings his exceptional save count to a whopping 41. At 74 minutes and change, the match featured excitement similar to a hockey game as Fillip Bousili collided with side fencing. Players broke out into violent chaos, forcing refs to inflict a red card. Now a player down, UCSB was given every advantage to win the game. 

Despite the advantage, the final score came in at 0-0. With the second draw in a row, the Gaucho's claim their fourth-straight shutout. 

The team will be back in action on Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 3 p.m. The Gauchos will take on Sacramento State on the bad guys' home pitch.