In a game of bounces, the ball is destined to bounce the other way from time to time.

For the first time in five attempts, the #15 UCSB men’s soccer team relented to its Big West rivals #21 Cal State Northridge, and the Gauchos could not have picked a worse time.

“The ball just wouldn’t go in for us, but no excuses, you know,” senior captain and midfielder Dave McGill said. “It could have gone either way, but there’s still plenty of football left to be played.”

Two late goals by Northridge forwards Jesse Servin and Willie Sims made the Big West standings pirouette. Santa Barbara no longer controls the fate of its destiny.

UCSB had a knack for the crossbar but could only muster one past Northridge goalkeeper Radames Lafaurie. A Drew McAthy penalty kick in the 88th minute brought the Gauchos within one. With time dwindling, McAthy came inches away from a miraculous Gaucho comeback that would have sent the game into overtime, but his shot hit the horizontal post again,