Mustangs visit Anteaters in NCAA soccer action

Two teams on historic postseason runs will collide tonight at UC Irvine in the second round of the NCAA men’s soccer tournament.

No. 14-seeded UCI (14-1-6), ranked No. 7 in the national coaches poll, plays host to Big West Conference rival Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (11-5-6) in a rematch of their Oct. 22 clash at Cal Poly that ended in a 1-1 tie.

UCI which won the regular-season Big West title and the inaugural conference tournament, is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance. Coach George Kuntz’s Anteaters, ranked No. 1 in the West Region, received a first-round bye.

The Mustangs posted their first Division I tournament victory Friday, knocking off host UCLA, 1-0.

Ryan Anderson, who scored the golden goal for Cal Poly Friday, will not play, due to a red card he received against UCLA.

UCI is led by senior David Sias, the Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and senior midfielder Matt Murphy, the school career leader in points (85) and goals (33).

— Barry Faulkner