When/where: Today, noon, at UC Irvine
Key Anteaters: Sr. F Tayna Taylor (10 goals, nine assists); Jr. D CoCo Goodson (eight goals); Sr. GK Danielle de Seriere (10 shutouts, 0.68 goals-against average); Sr. MF Judy Christopher.
Key 49ers: So. F Nadia Link (eight goals, one assist); Sr. MF Lindsay Bullock (seven goals, two assists); Jr. MF Shawna Gordon (four goals, seven assists); Jr. GK Emily Kingsborough (four shutouts, 1.00 goals-against average).
Breakdown: The Big West Conference Tournament championship game is the third for the No. 11-ranked Anteaters (17-1-2), who have won 14 straight and are unbeaten in their last 17, since a 2-1 nonconference home loss to Seattle on Aug. 29 … UCI has outscored opponents, 30-6, during the winning streak, which includes nine triumphs over Big West foes … UCI defeated Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 3-2, in double overtime in the 1997 Big West title clash but the conference did not have an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament, in which UCI has never competed … Today's winner earns an automatic NCAA berth … Neither fourth-year UCI coach Scott Juniper, nor any of his players have ever lost to Long Beach State (13-5-2), going 3-0-1 against the 49ers in their last four regular-season meetings, including a 1-0 UCI road victory on Oct. 21 … de Seriere's career goals-against average (0.807) and career shutouts (30) rank No. 1 in UCI annals … Taylor leads conference players in goals and assists … Five of Goodson's eight goals this season have been game-winners, including the Oct. 21 contest at Long Beach State.
— Barry Faulkner
