For the UCSB women’s club field hockey team (2-2 overall), there is no place quite like home. After dropping their first two games of the season on the road, the Gauchos returned home for two games over the weekend, and managed to pull off two shutout victories against Santa Clara and UC Irvine.

On Saturday, UCSB beat the visiting Santa Clara Broncos 2-0, while the UC Irvine Anteaters dropped their Sunday match to the Gauchos 3-0. The two shutouts were a complete reversal of fortune from Santa Barbara’s opening away games last weekend at UC Davis and Cal State Chico. Both those games resulted in 1-0 losses for the Gauchos. However, returning home, the Gauchos finally got on the scoreboard with a pair of goals in their Saturday victory against Santa Clara.

The Gauchos got on the board against the Broncos thanks to co-captains junior midfielder Stacey Myers and sophomore forward Kendall Jasco. The two teamed up on Myers’ strike that found the back of the net. Sophomore center midfielder Lauren Perry added the insurance goal as she put the team up by two with her goal on a penalty strike.

UCSB carried its momentum from Saturday’s triumph into Sunday’s match against UC Irvine. In their second game in two days, the Gaucho defense remained perfect for the weekend by shutting down the Anteaters. Meanwhile, their offensive output on Sunday was their best of the year, with three total goals.

Freshmen forwards Sheba Taherizadegan and Dani Laufer each recorded their first collegiate goals of their careers in Sunday’s action. Myers also pitched in with a second goal, which was sandwiched between Taherizadegan’s opening goal and Laufer’s late tally.

The team’s all-around performance this weekend means UCSB’s players will head into next weekend’s lone contest against the Cal Poly full of confidence. The game will be hosted by the Mustangs in San Luis Obispo, and is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 13 at noon.