Fullerton Works Overtime to Beat UCI in Soccer

Cal State Fullerton, the 11th-ranked men’s soccer team in the nation, needed a goal from sophomore Shawn Higgins in the final minute of overtime to defeat UC Irvine, 3-2, in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation game Sunday at Irvine.

Higgins scored the game winner off a misplayed ball by Irvine’s freshman goalkeeper Kevin Mehrens to help Fullerton improve to 14-4-2, 7-1-1 in conference.

Irvine (8-12, 2-7) took a 2-1 lead on a goal by Shaun Callahan in the 57th minute, but the Anteaters played the final 15 minutes with only 10 men. Fullerton forced the overtime when Colby Jackson scored the tying goal in the 89th minute.

Irvine’s Walter Camargo (Mater Dei High) scored off an assist from Don Icardo in the 16th minute to give the Anteaters the early lead, 1-0.

Fullerton’s Art Ramirez scored the tying goal less than four minutes later off an assist from Antonio Martinez.

The Titans should receive an at-large berth into the NCAA tournament field, which will be announced today. Fullerton finished second behind conference champion Washington (8-1 in conference), which defeated Cal State Stanislaus, 2-0, Sunday.

In Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men’s water polo:

UC Irvine 4, Pepperdine 0--Irvine’s Genai Kerr made 10 saves in the shutout for visiting Irvine (17-6, 6-2), which is ranked fourth in the nation. Irvine’s Ryan Bailey scored two first-quarter goals to boost his conference-leading total to 82.

Kevin Brantley and Dan Klatt also scored for Irvine, which has won 12 of its last 14.

Pepperdine (10-10, 2-5) is ranked sixth in the nation.

At the ITA women’s tennis regional at UC Irvine:

Huber wins--Fourth-seeded Ditta Huber of USC defeated third-seeded Cristina Popescu of UCLA in the singles final, 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). Huber also reached the doubles final with teammate Kara Warkentin, but they lost to UCLA’s Annica Cooper and Amanda Basica, 6-1, 7-6 (8-6).