UCSB cashed in on the counterattack and defeated Oregon State, 3-1, in a Big West vs. Pac 12 men’s soccer battle on Friday night at Harder Stadium.
Oregon State pressed the action, but once the Beavers lost possession, the Gauchos were off to the races.
UCSB took a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute after it cleared to midfield. Two Oregon State players collided and the ball dropped to dropped to Nemo Philipp. He took two dribbles before splitting the Beavers’ back line with an incisive lead pass to forward Alexis Ledoux. The speedy sophomore collected it, took on two defenders in the box and drew goalkeeper Luis Castillo out to make a save. Midfielder Lucas Gonzalez was first to the ball following the deflection, and finished with a left-footed shot.
The Gauchos made it 2-0 on another counterattack in the 23rd minute. Substitute Pablo Figueroa received a pass with tons of space on the left flank and dropped in a perfect down-field ball to Gonzalez. After controlling it off his head, Gonzalez twisted his body and sent a surreal, instinctual through ball forward with the outside of his foot and his back to the goal.
Forward Finn Ballard McBride needed just one touch to score.
“I saw that the back line was pretty high,” said Gonzalez. “I decided to check in and make the run in behind, and Pablo played a beautiful ball. Finn always likes to run in behind, he knows that I like to slip pass, so I was able to feed him. It was a great goal and a beautiful finish from him.”
UCSB coach Tim Vom Steeg was pleased how his team executed the game plan against the aggressive Beavers.
“The game plan was to counter, and in order to counter, we knew that we had to invite them into open up the space,” explained UCSB coach Tim Vom Steeg. “I said that the minute we turn them over, let’s just run fast, and we just took off on them twice.
“We faced a good team, obviously, and it’s a situation tonight where we took full advantage offensively.”
The Beavers (1-2-1) made it a 2-1 game in the 28th minute as Ellis Spikner sent a low cross in to David Perez who beat the Gaucho defense and goalkeeper LeRoy Zeller.
Philipp scored the third goal for the Gauchos in the 66th minute. Hitting a low curling shot just past the outstretched arms of Castillo for his first goal of the season.
Vom Steeg gave credit to the defense for containing Oregon State.
“Our back three played great and our defense did its job tonight, staying inside of our men and taking care of corner kicks,” he said.
The Gauchos (3-1-1) are back in action Sunday against Utah Valley.