Win Gives Irvine Second Wind

The wear and tear was evident by late Sunday afternoon.

Kirsten Roy, UC Irvine’s goalkeeper, was still dabbing blood on her nose, which was reaching Karl Malden proportions. Forwards Katie Sheppard and Stephanie Rigamat were breathing heavy, still winded from 146 minutes of soccer. Sheppard played despite the flu; Rigamat despite bruised ribs.

None, though, was feeling any pain.

Irvine’s 3-2 overtime victory over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo at Irvine was more than a placebo. Winning the Big West Conference tournament championship was wonderful medicine, especially because the Anteaters had lost to San Luis Obispo in last season’s final.

“You forget about being tired,” Rigamat said. “This is why we did all that work, all that running, to win the Big West.”

Said Sheppard: “It’s done.”

It was, but only after Sheppard’s goal 26 minutes into sudden-death overtime. Only after Roy’s diving save--for which she got booted in the nose--14 minutes into sudden death. Only after Rigamat’s goal tied the score with 34 seconds left in the first overtime, sending the game into sudden death.

Worn and torn at the end, the three--all freshmen--certainly gave Coach Marine Cano an early return on his last recruiting class.

“When he was recruiting us, this is what he told us we would come here and do,” Sheppard said. “We are naive freshmen, but we knew what we were expected to do.”

The Anteaters (15-7) will learn Tuesday if the victory gets them into the 32-team NCAA tournament. Irvine entered the Big West tournament ranked 10th in the west, seemingly out of the running. But victories over Pacific (eighth in the west) and San Luis Obispo (sixth) in the last three days may make the selection committee think twice.

At least that’s Cano’s scenario.

“They have to look at Irvine,” Cano said. “We’ve won six of our last seven. Irvine has to be there. We’ll take on anybody right now and beat them. My ladies can beat anyone right now.”

Cano’s youngest provided him with such a podium.

Irvine was applying ample pressure when Rigamat and San Luis Obispo goalkeeper Natalie Garcie converged on Sheppard’s header. Rigamat headed the ball over Garcia’s head and toward the goal, where Sheppard was waiting. She scored on a point-blank header.

“I couldn’t miss,” Sheppard said.

Neither, did it seem, would the Mustangs’ Michelle George, when she burst toward the Irvine goal 12 minutes earlier. Roy charged, dived and made a kick save. She received a bloody nose for her efforts and was down for 10 minutes, but she kept Irvine from losing.

Rigamat did the same with Irvine trailing, 2-1, in the first overtime. Simone Ferrar’s corner kick was punched out by Garcia, but went straight to Rigamat, who blasted a shot into the net.

Afterward, Cano took a what-me-worry stance.

“We’ve been down that dark alley before with no way out,” Cano said. “We were getting good shots. I knew one was going in.”

Irvine scored in the second minute, on a shot by Kori Zimmerman, for a 1-0 lead. The Anteaters held that lead until Jill Nelsen scored off a rebound in the 78th minute.

Gina Oceguera gave San Luis Obispo the lead in the 102nd minute, when she took a pass between three Irvine defenders and then beat Roy to her right. It seemed to be enough for the Mustangs. Then Rigamat, Roy and Sheppard put in a little extra work.

“Tired?” Sheppard said. “I think we’re going to go party now.”