Sept. 29 through Oct. 5
With so many sports for Aggie fans to follow but so little time, we’ve decided to cover
the entirety of UC Davis athletics action in one spot. Here is what happened in UC Davis sports
between Sept. 29 and Oct. 5.
Men’s Soccer (4-0-7):
UC Davis vs. Cal State Fullerton (3-1)
UC Davis vs. UC Riverside (1-0)
Men’s soccer saw Big West regular season play open up for the year, facing both Cal
State Fullerton and UC Riverside at home. In the first match, the Aggies scored a season-high
three goals, including a career first by freshman Kyle Higgins. Sophomore goalie Armando
Quezada ended the game with three saves, only allowing one shot past him.
The Aggies’ second game of Big West play saw them shutout the UC Irvine Anteaters.
Sophomore Connor Willis-Hong provided the lone goal as the Aggies continued their
undefeated season. UC Davis and Penn State University are now the only undefeated teams in
Division I men’s soccer.
For more in-depth coverage of UC Davis men’s soccer, read our soccer recap.
Women’s Soccer (3-7-3):
UC Davis vs. UC Riverside (0-0)
UC Davis vs. Cal State Fullerton (1-1)
Coming off of a six-game losing streak, the UC Davis women’s soccer team has
managed to tie its last three games, all of which were at home. In the first, the Aggies managed
to hold a strong UC Riverside team to zero points behind senior goalie Taylor Jern’s strong
play. Jern finished the day with six saves, vaulting her into third place for all-time saves in the
UC Davis record books.
The Aggies were poised to score a win against Cal State Fullerton, until a heartbreaking
goal was scored by the opposition on a penalty kick in the 86th minute. UC Davis scored its
lone goal from junior defender Lauren Paul, who scored in the eighth minute.
Women’s Volleyball (7-9):
UC Davis @ Cal Poly (3-1)
UC Davis @ UC Santa Barbara (3-0)
The women’s volleyball team was able to capitalize on early Big West matches this
week. Visiting Cal Poly, UC Davis saw strong play from a number of players, including senior
middle blocker Katie Quinn, who led the team with 10 of its 17 blocks.
Against UCSB, the Aggies were able to score a sweep as they dominated three straight
sets. They will return home for a one-game homestand against UC Riverside on Oct. 11 before
heading back to the road for four straight games.
Men’s Tennis:
Aggie Invitational Oct. 3 to 5
The UC Davis men’s tennis team started its season off at home with the Aggie
Invitational. Several Aggies saw success over the weekend, including freshman Everett Maltby,
who surprised the No. 1 seed in Flight B. Maltby was eventually defeated by fellow Aggie and
sophomore Bryce McKelvie, who ultimately won his draw. Sophomore James Wade was also
able to leave his mark, winning the Flight A consolation round.
No other singles players were able to make it past the quarterfinals and both doubles
teams were defeated in the semifinals of their respective draws.
Football (1-4):
UC Davis @ Portland State (14-23)
Playing in a hostile road environment, the Aggies allowed themselves to fall too far
behind and ultimately lost despite a strong comeback bid. Portland State pulled ahead by 17
points in the first hand, anchored by a strong rushing attack. While UC Davis was able to pull
within three points in the third quarter, their offense was effectively stopped in the fourth when it
gained only 31 yards on three drives.
Portland State was able to capitalize on an unusually sloppy Aggie defense that allowed
them to rack up 254 rushing yards. Meanwhile, UC Davis gained just 44 yards on the ground.
While some confidence should be found in their second half performance, their loss in a
winnable game is something that the Aggies should worry about.
Men’s Water Polo (7-8):
No. 11 UC Davis vs. No. 2 Stanford (5-17)
Despite their lofty national ranking, the Aggies failed to impress against a strong
Stanford team. Senior Chris Richardson and junior Sean Grab were able to account for four
out of the Aggies’ five goals, but saw little help from their teammates. Meanwhile, Stanford was
pulled to their dominant victory by Bret Bonanni who currently plays for the U.S. Senior National
The UC Davis team will take its talents on the road for the next three games, where it
should be able to capitalize on lower ranked competition.
Women’s Field Hockey (3-8):
UC Davis vs. No. 5 Stanford (5-1)
The women’s field hockey squad went up against, and lost to, a Stanford team ranked
No. 5 in the country. The UC Davis women’s field hockey team briefly tied the game at 1-1
before watching Stanford hold them off the board for the rest of the day. UC Davis will be at
home for two more games, against UC Berkeley and the University of Pacific, so perhaps home-
cooking and lower ranked competition will lead to a few more wins.
Photo by Courtesy Wayne Tilcock/aggiephoto.com.
