UCI ladies’s soccer wins closing exhibition recreation in opposition to Trinity Western – New College | UC Irvine

In UC Irvine ladies’s soccer’s second and closing exhibition match of the 2025 season, the Anteaters took down Trinity Western 2-0 at Anteater Stadium on Aug. 11. 
Irvine began the matchup in opposition to the Canadian program strongly, scoring early on on the 7:08 mark. Sophomore midfielder Milan Heisdorf kicked off the scoring for UCI, placing a purpose in from the left aspect of the pitch. Heisdorf will look to develop her position as a constant starter in 2025 after beginning seven video games final yr. Senior midfielders and an identical twins Mia Colombini and Ella Colombini recorded assists on the purpose. 
Postgame, UCI head coach Scott Juniper spoke in regards to the expectations for Heisdorf in 2025.
“I really stated to Milan earlier than the sport, I feel she’s one among our most skilled gamers now. She’s so comfy and calm on the ball. [She] nonetheless [has] an extended strategy to go, she’s a rising sophomore however I feel it’s superior when you have got somebody from an area Irvine highschool who’s right here at UCI,” Juniper informed New College. 
Irvine continued the primary half by dominating the time of possession battle and maintaining their defensive rotations tight. All through the rest of the half, UCI restricted the Spartans to only one shot and minimal time with the ball.
Notable for an exhibition recreation, Trinity Western saved their substitutions to a minimal. Within the first half, head coach Graham Roxburgh didn’t use his bench till in regards to the 32-minute mark of the interval.  
Sustaining management of the ball and limiting errors whereas enjoying comparatively conservative on offense, UCI led 1-0 on the half. Irvine solely generated two photographs of their very own within the first interval, however the Anteater protection stood robust to take care of its lead. 
UCI received an early damage scare to start the second half when freshman ahead Fiona Shin went down laborious after a Trinity Western deal with. Shin was down for a couple of minute and walked gingerly for just a few moments however was capable of keep within the recreation. 
Irvine was capable of put extra stress on the Spartan protection early within the second half, producing three photographs within the first 13 minutes of the half. The Anteater push was capped off by Mia Colombini placing a shot in for her first purpose of the yr, pushing UCI’s result in 2-0. Sophomore defender Kamryn Taylor recorded the help on the purpose. 
Mia Colombini spoke about her group’s efficiency postgame and famous that it was the second time in an exhibition recreation that she shared an help along with her twin.
“I’m simply actually excited to play with all these women. And I’m excited to play with my sister as properly. I feel this can be a actually good group of individuals and gamers, and I feel we now have a extremely good likelihood in convention,” Mia Colombini informed New College. 
The UCI crowd cheered noticeably louder when senior ahead Jenika Davis checked in halfway by way of the second half. After Davis was recognized with Acute Myeloid Leukemia simply 5 video games into her freshman season, the UCI ladies’s soccer program rallied across the senior to create #TeamJenika as a part of the UCI Anti-Cancer Challenge. Davis performed 27 minutes in opposition to the Spartans, contributing a shot on purpose.
“I get chills each time she [Davis] performs. She simply desires to play and be on the market. She doesn’t care the place she performs and each time she’s on the market, she simply places her complete coronary heart into it,” Mia Colombini stated. “We’re all simply so, so happy with her, and we simply are so excited for her this season.”
Shutting out Trinity Western, UCI closed out the matchup, successful 2-0 and sustaining a defensive stronghold on the sport. The Spartans had been solely capable of generate one shot within the second half and three on the evening in whole.
Juniper famous how a lot of the group will not be solely exceptionally younger but in addition new to UCI in 2025; 10 of UCI’s 30 gamers are newcomers, with eight being first-years. Juniper, in his 18th yr as head coach, supplied reward to the entire newcomers together with the veteran management who will look to information the brand new gamers of their first yr at Anteater Stadium.
“They’re a category of freshmen who’re able to play in addition to another class in the previous few years, for positive. And we’ve received a variety of management that’s emerged,” Juniper stated. “We graduated a variety of management within the final two years and the management we’ve received returning … goes to wish to step up if we’re going to tug this complete factor collectively.”
UCI break up a street journey to Arizona, going 1-1 in opposition to Grand Canyon and The College of Arizona. The Anteaters took down GCU 4-1 earlier than dropping their match in opposition to the Wildcats 1-0. Subsequent, UCI will come again to California for an Aug. 21 recreation in opposition to The College of San Diego.
Jacob Ramos is a Sports activities Employees Author. He may be reached at jacobtr@uci.edu. 
Edited by Jack Fedor and Joshua Gonzales
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