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The 2025 Big West Women’s Soccer Championship opened with a hard-fought first-round matchup at Anteater Stadium, where defending champion No. 5 seed UC Santa Barbara edged No. 4 seed UC Irvine, 1-0, to move on to the semifinal round.

The decisive moment came early in the second half as Emily Caughey capitalized on a feed from Mya Delaney, breaking through the Anteater defense and slotting a finish inside the right post in the 52nd minute. The goal proved to be the difference in a tightly contested match that saw UC Irvine hold 68 percent possession and outshoot UC Santa Barbara, 12-7.

Despite the pressure, the Gauchos’ back line remained composed, anchored by goalkeeper Maddie Buckley, who recorded two key saves to preserve the clean sheet. Emma Corcoran, Ava Jarolimek, and Isabella Ong all tested the UCI keeper with shots on frame, while UC Irvine’s best late opportunities, including efforts from Fiona Shin, Ivy Williams, and Kelsey Swyney, were turned away or deflected out for corners.

UC Irvine’s Savanna Arruda made three saves in goal, and the Anteaters’ defense added another, but the bounces continued to favor UC Santa Barbara in a match defined by high intensity and limited scoring chances. Fifth-year Anteaters Suus de Bakker and Mihaela Perez both closed out their collegiate careers in their 79th appearance.

With the result, UC Santa Barbara advances to the semifinal round of The Big West Championship and will face top-seeded CSUN on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. in Northridge. UC Irvine concludes the season with an 8-5-7 record, marking its fifth straight Big West Championship appearance.