IRVINE, Calif. -- Sophomores Leslie Fregoso and Risa Yamada each finished with a goal and an assist, while freshman Sammie Ruelas also tallied an assist on her team's first goal of the evening, helping lift the UC Davis women's soccer team to a 2-1 Big West Conference victory at UC Irvine on Sunday at Anteater Stadium.

The Aggies improved to 9-7 overall and 4-4 heading into the home stretch of the 2021 regular season. UC Davis welcomes Hawai'i to Aggie Soccer Field on Thursday (Oct. 21) at 4 p.m. in its penultimate home contest of 2021.

Sunday's goals were the sixth of the year for both Fregoso and Yamada, while the former collected her seventh assist of the year to increase her team-best total to 19 points. That total is the most by an Aggie since Allison Kelly finished with eight goals and three assists for 19 points, while the seven assists are the most since Cynthia Rail tied Laura Whitsitt's 1995 school single-season record with 10 helpers in 2001.

Meanwhile, Yamada logged her fourth assist of the season, giving her 16 points overall, and Ruelas picked up her third assist of the year.

Defensively, UC Davis did not allow a goal during the run of play, shutting out the Anteaters until UC Irvine was awarded -- and converted on -- a penalty kick in the 87th minute. By that point, the Aggies had built a 2-0 lead, breaking the scoreless deadlock on Yamada's goal in the 13th minute.

Yamada then returned the favor to Fregoso in the 76th minute, providing UC Davis with some breathing room and the goal that proved to be the difference.

Overall, UC Irvine held a 20-10 advantage in shots, but put only nine of those on frame to five for the Aggies. Goalkeeper Nicki Rucki was up to the task, turning away eight shots -- a total that tied her season high set at Boise State back on Sept. 2.
 

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