UC Irvine Scores 1-0 Soccer Upset of Santa Barbara on Gunn’s Goal

Ken Gunn scored at the 32-mintue mark in the second half Sunday as UC Irvine won its first Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. soccer match, upsetting UC Santa Barbara, 1-0, at Irvine.

Gunn scored on a fast break, dribbling by two defenders and then kicking the ball from 20 yards out past the diving John Guthrie, the Gauchos’ goalie.

UCI is 1-3, 3-7-2. UCSB is 3-1, 6-8.

“The first half was one of our best of the season, “ said Derek Lawther, UCI coach. “We took over and were aggressive from the start. If we had executed, we could had been up by three or four.

“We became a little panicky when we got ahead, but Steve Shaw saved the game.”

Shaw stopped what seemed to be a sure goal with three minutes to play on a UCSB corner kick when he bumped heads with a Gaucho player who was open in front of the goal. The UCSB player was preparing to head a shot into the goal, but was thwarted by Shaw’s bruising defense.