In a matchup of the two regular season co-champions, top-seeded UC Santa Barbara defeated No. 2 seed UC Irvine by a final score of 4-0. The match was held on Saturday at Harder Stadium on the campus of UC Santa Barbara. With the win, the Gauchos earn the conference’s automatic bid to the 2021 NCAA Championship. UC Santa Barbara’s Finn Ballard McBride was named championship MVP. The Gauchos win their second men’s soccer championship, the last one coming 2010.
 
The bracket for the national championship will be announced at the selection show streamed on NCAA.com on Monday, Nov. 15 at 10 a.m. PT.
 

UC Santa Barbara 4, UC Irvine 0

Box Score | UC Santa Barbara Press Conference | UC Irvine Press Conference | Recap courtesy of UCSBgauchos.com

 

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- The UC Santa Barbara men's soccer team (12-4-4) put together one of its finest Big West Conference tournament performances in program history, defeating 10-man UC Irvine 4-0 to win its second league tournament crown and first since 2010 on Saturday night at Harder Stadium. 

Freshman attacker Ramses Martinez opened the scoring with a strike off his right foot after a Caden Vom Steeg corner kick was miscleared in the 14th minute to put the Gauchos up 1-0. Freshman forward Salvador Aguilar won the ball off an Irvine defender, then dribbled towards the endline and set up a right-footed effort into the far post in the 44th minute to score his sixth goal of the season. UCSB went into halftime with a 2-0 lead. Then, Caden Vom Steeg swung in a corner from the right side, where it was caught by the right foot of sophomore forward Finn Ballard McBride, who saw his mishit effort bounce straight to junior center back Henry Davies in the 54th minute for a three-goal lead. Sophomore goalkeeper Leroy Zeller hit Ballard McBride in the back as he launched it on a throw from the top of the box, but it caromed into the path of Martinez, who led a two-man counter attack into the opposite half. Martinez dribbled it into the middle of the field before playing Ballard McBride through, and the Australian finished the one-on-one opportunity on his right foot to score UCSB's fourth goal in the 66th minute.

Sophomore goalkeeper Leroy Zeller and the Gaucho defense earned their ninth clean sheet of the season. The Gauchos defeated the Anteaters for the first time in a Big West tournament match. Prior to tonight, UC Irvine had beaten UCSB in three finals and one semifinal. UCSB's Big West tournament title is the first since 2010 and the second triumph for the Gauchos in seven finals.F inn Ballard McBride was named the Big West Men's Soccer Championship MVP for his performances in UCSB's two victories over UC Davis and UC Irvine.

The Gauchos will find out their fate in the NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament Selection Show, live on NCAA.com on Monday at 10 a.m.