SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - No. 2 seed UC Santa Barbara prevailed 2-1 over third-seeded UC Irvine in the semifinal round of the 2024 Big West Championship from Harder Stadium, Saturday, in front of 1,523 spectators.

With the win, UCSB (11-4-4) advances to their ninth Big West Championship final, and the fourth in the last five contested seasons. The Gauchos are looking for their third Big West Championship title, with the first in 2010 and the last coming in 2021.

The Gauchos will take on the winner between regular-season champion Cal Poly and No. 4 seed UC Davis. The Mustangs and the Aggies are set to square off Sunday at 2 p.m. in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Should the Mustangs prevail, Cal Poly will host the championship match on Nov. 15. However, if UC Davis is victorious, then the final heads to UCSB's Harder Stadium.

The first half between the Gauchos and the Anteaters ended scoreless, with UC Irvine showing offensive pressure early on. The Anteaters compiled a total of 11 shots throughout the half, with Gaucho goalie David Mitzner recording multiple saves, including a key stop against Samuel Atiye at the 30-minute mark.

UC Irvine struck in the second half as Isaiahs Gutierrez scored in the 58th minute, giving the visiting team a 1-0 lead. UCSB responded quickly with a goal from Andrew Kamienski in the 60th minute, assisted by Haruki Utsumi and Kaden Standish, leveling the score at 1-1.

UCSB continued to push with a revamped offensive attack in the second half. Isaiah Barber scored the decisive goal in the 82nd minute, assisted again by Standish, to take a 2-1 lead which they would never relinquish.

Mitzner recorded five saves in the contest, with UCI's Luke Pruter finishing with three saves. All told, the Anteaters narrowly outshot the Gauchos 16-15 in the contest and UCSB held the 8-7 advantage in corner kicks.

UCI closes the season with a mark of 8-8-3.