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

In UC Irvine ladies’s soccer’s second and last 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 aim in from the left facet of the pitch. Heisdorf will look to broaden her position as a constant starter in 2025 after beginning seven video games final 12 months. Senior midfielders and equivalent twins Mia Colombini and Ella Colombini recorded assists on the aim. 
Postgame, UCI head coach Scott Juniper spoke concerning the expectations for Heisdorf in 2025.
“I really stated to Milan earlier than the sport, I feel she’s considered one of our most skilled gamers now. She’s so snug and calm on the ball. [She] nonetheless [has] a protracted method to go, she’s a rising sophomore however I feel it’s superior when you might have somebody from a neighborhood 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 stored their substitutions to a minimal. Within the first half, head coach Graham Roxburgh didn’t use his bench till concerning the 32-minute mark of the interval.  
Sustaining management of the ball and limiting errors whereas taking part in 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 sturdy to keep up its lead. 
UCI bought an early damage scare to start the second half when freshman ahead Fiona Shin went down arduous after a Trinity Western sort out. Shin was down for a few minute and walked gingerly for just a few moments however was in a position to keep within the recreation. 
Irvine was in a position to 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 aim of the 12 months, pushing UCI’s result in 2-0. Sophomore defender Kamryn Taylor recorded the help on the aim. 
Mia Colombini spoke about her workforce’s efficiency postgame and famous that it was the second time in an exhibition recreation that she shared an help together with her twin.
“I’m simply actually excited to play with all these ladies. And I’m excited to play with my sister as effectively. I feel it is a actually good group of individuals and gamers, and I feel we’ve a extremely good probability in convention,” Mia Colombini informed New College. 
The UCI crowd cheered noticeably louder when senior ahead Jenika Davis checked in halfway via the second half. After Davis was identified 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 aim.
“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 every time she’s on the market, she simply places her complete coronary heart into it,” Mia Colombini stated. “We’re all simply so, so pleased 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 in a position to generate one shot within the second half and three on the evening in whole.
Juniper famous how a lot of the workforce is just not 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 12 months as head coach, supplied reward to all the newcomers together with the veteran management who will look to information the brand new gamers of their first 12 months at Anteater Stadium.
“They’re a category of freshmen who’re able to play in addition to some other class in the previous couple of years, for certain. And we’ve bought loads of management that’s emerged,” Juniper stated. “We graduated loads of management within the final two years and the management we’ve bought returning … goes to want to step up if we’re going to drag this complete factor collectively.”
UCI break up a highway 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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