Courtesy of UCSB Athletics
The UC Santa Barbara men’s soccer team took on UC Davis in a refreshing home game at Harder Stadium after two away games with over 1,400 fans in attendance. The Gauchos took control of the game and beat the Aggies 3-1 in an action-packed conference matchup.
The UCSB men’s soccer team is in the No.1 spot in the Big West conference with only three more games to go in the season. Despite this, the Gauchos looked to up their performance on offense and show what they are really capable of.
Head Coach Tim Vom Steeg commented after the game, saying “I challenged them today before we played this game, we know we can play better, we know we can pass better, we know we can move better and we did that.”
With motivation from Vom Steeg, the players did not hesitate to start the show early. In only the fifth minute of the match, junior midfielder Filip Basili centered the ball with a one touch pass right into junior forward Nicolas Willumsen’s lap, who was more than ready for a tap-in goal. Willumsen has scored one goal in each of the previous two games, with this one putting the Gauchos up 1-0 early.
UCSB did not slow down; in minute 25 of the game, freshman defender Peleg Brown sent in a cross from the left side of the penalty box. Senior forward Alexis Ledoux got a hold of this cross and headed the ball into the far corner of the goal to make the score 2-0. The Gauchos continued to apply the pressure in the first half with many close shots on goal, but to no avail before the halftime whistle.
After the half, UC Davis shortened the Gauchos’ healthy lead with a free kick and header that turned into a goal in minute 59. Although this was a threatening series of events, the Gauchos remained calm and continued their dominance on the attack.
In minute 72, senior midfielder Nemo Philipp passed the ball to Ledoux in space, who took a quick touch and then shot into the left post, sealing the deal for the Gauchos with a final score of 3-1. The Gauchos controlled this game on the attack, totaling 17 shots with 8 on target. The Aggies had 7 with 3 on target.
Ledoux has put on an impressive campaign this season with a total of 12 goals. He is tied for second among all NCAA Division I players in total goals this season. Ledoux has been a key player this season for the Gauchos, so much so that he is being recognized among the best in the country. Top Drawer Scorer ranks Ledoux number 29 in the nation on their midseason men’s top 100 player rankings.
After the game, Ledoux commented on his performance.
“I’ve been working in training on those situations. I know that I was getting a lot of looks, and I think this is the difference between last year and this year. I’m converting now, I’m scoring goals. If they come in pairs when it’s at Harder, let them come in pairs, I’m happy with that. But most importantly, it’s a big win tonight for the boys,” Ledoux said. “I always tell the boys, it doesn’t matter if I score, what I really want is the team to do good and the team to win.”
The 9-3-3 UC Santa Barbara men’s soccer team is set to take on California State University, Northridge on Oct. 23 at home in Harder Stadium as they near the end of the regular season with only three games left.
A version of the article appeared in the Oct. 24 print edition of the Daily Nexus.
