Teams: UC Davis vs. Sacramento State
Records: Aggies 6-7-1 (2-3-0); Hornets 2-8-3 (0-5-0)
Where: Aggie Soccer Field — Davis, Calif.
When: Saturday, Oct. 26 at 3 p.m.
Who to Watch:
Fifty-seven seconds left on the clock and UC Davis can taste victory. With a 2-1 lead, all the Aggies have to do is hold off the Gauchos from scoring for less than a minute. Until tragedy strikes and a penalty allows UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) to tie the game with mere seconds left to play in regulation.
The above play-by-play chronicled only one of many intense moments in the double overtime match-up between UC Davis and number-two ranked UC Santa Barbara last Saturday. Although the team did not come out with the win, the morale is high.
“It was one of our best games of the season,” said junior forward Matt Wiesenfarth.
And many of the spectators would agree, with the full house at Aggie soccer field on their feet for nearly the entire game.
Wiesenfarth scored the first goal of the game for UC Davis, tying the score at 1-1.
“I saw Alex (Henry) make the run down the left side … I just floated to the back post and hoped he could find me,” Wiesenfarth said. “All I had to do was head it in, he gave me the perfect cross.”
With that goal, Wiesenfarth now has four on the season, tying him with Matt Sheldon for the leading goal-scorer this season.
Next goal came from senior captain and forward Alex Aguiar which put the Aggies ahead 2-1. With 31 shots on goal, Aguiar’s first goal of the year could not have come at a more opportune time.
“It felt great! All my teammates had the confidence in me that the goal would eventually come, so having them still have the confidence that I would score eventually was awesome,” said Aguiar. “I celebrated like no other.”
That celebration was matched both on and off the field, with Aggie fans erupting in excitement after Aguiar’s goal. Although the team was unable to come out with the victory, as UCSB tragically scored with less than a minute left in double overtime to end the game, both coaches and players kept their heads held high.
“I thought it was a great game overall … I was proud of my guys,” said coach Dwanye Shaffer. “I thought we played extremely well”.
Preview:
The Aggies head into the their rivalry game against the Sac State Hornets with some solid momentum. Known in all sports at Davis as the “Causeway Classic,” the game on Oct. 26, is not to be taken lightly. Although the Hornet’s current record in the league stands at 0-5, Weisenfarth and the rest of the team knows the Hornets will put up a good fight.
“They’re a good team every year and they give us a good game no matter what,” Wiesenfarth said.
With their heartbreaking loss against UCSB fresh in their minds, the Aggies are hungry for wins and would love to take down their rivals that reside just 15 minutes east down Interstate 80.
Kick off against Sac State commences at 3 p.m. on Oct. 26 in Davis, Calif.
– Sloan Boettcher
