SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Senior co-captain Ellie Farber netted her third goal of the season just 1:44 into the match on Wednesday morning and host Sacramento State held the lead for most of the contest, but visiting UC Irvine found the late equalizer with just over three minutes to play, forging a 1-1 draw in The Big West opener for both teams at Hornet Soccer Field.
The Hornets, who were playing their first official match as full-fledged members of The Big West following 30 years in the Big Sky Conference, moved to 4-2-3 overall with the draw, while the Anteaters moved to 2-3-3 overall.
Farber's goal was the quickest by a Sacramento State player since Candace Ching needed just 49 seconds to put her side up 1-0 against Portland State back on Oct. 27, 2024.
Jules Colchico got the sequence started on the right side, turning UC Irvine over and send a pass to the top of the six-yard box for Ching, whose nifty back heel found a wide-open Farber making a run up the middle. Farber wasted little time slotting home left-footed one-timer to the upper left side to put the Hornets up 1-0.
It was Farber's first goal since she scored the eventual game-winner at Nevada in a 2-1 victory back on Aug. 23. Meanwhile, Ching collected her second assist of the year as did Colchico, whose helper on the play was her first career point.
The two sides then went back-and-forth for the rest of the half, attempting seven shots apiece, while junior goalkeeper
Hayley Hartsburg kept UCI off the scoreboard with three saves, including a punch over the net on a shot by the Anteaters' Mimi Dominguez to maintain the lead in the waining moments of the first half.
UC Irvine turned up the heat to start the second after the Hornets had taken two quick shots to start the period, as Clara Smson and Elizabeth Hayes both forced Hartsburg into saves from close in the 62nd and 64th minutes.
Bailey Fuller had a looping attempt turned away by the Irvine goalkeeper in the 70th minute, then had another attempt off a corner seconds later that clanged off the crossbar and away from danger.
Jaety Mandaquit tried to put home the rebound in a crowd near the penalty spot, but both of her attempts were blocked in traffic to keep it a one-goal match.
Sacramento State tried to maintain possession and the lead for most of the period until the Anteaters were able to capitalize in the 87th minute to tie the score. Dominguez had a shot that was parried away by Hartsburg, but it fell right to the feet of Mimi Yamamoto, who cleaned up the loose ball for her first goal of the year.
The Hornets finished with a 16-15 advantage in shots, but UC Irvine was able to put seven of its attempts on frame to only three for Sacramento State. The Hornets also held a 6-2 advantage in corners.
Hartsburg, making her second career start, finished with a career-high six saves, while Mandaquit attempted a match-high six shots.
Sacramento State wraps up the week on the road on Saturday (Sept. 26) at 6 p.m., taking a trip down the coast to face UC Santa Barbara.
