Randazzo, Kopf key UCI upset

UC Irvine freshman Jennifer Randazzo made seven saves and withstood a 21-shot barrage and senior forward Lexi Kopf scored in the eighth minute to lead the then-No. 17-ranked Anteaters to a 1-0 win over the then-No. 11-ranked host in the finale of the Teas A&M Invitational Sunday in College Station.

Randazzo, who had four saves in a 2-1 win over Texas-San Antonio on Friday, was named Defensive Player of the Week in the Big West Conference.

Kopf, who had two goals in UCI’s two tournament wins, is the conference’s Offensive Player of the Week.

Kopf’s goal Friday, in the 88th minute to break a 1-1 tie, was also a game-winner to help the Anteaters, ranked No. 16 in this week’s poll, open the season 2-0.

Texas A&M posted a 21-5 advantage in shots and took 11 corner kicks to UCI’s two. But Randazzo and senior All-American defender CoCo Goodson helped keep the Aggies off the scoreboard.

The Aggies are the most highly ranked team ever to be beaten by UCI, which has only one win in its 28 seasons over an opponent ranked higher (in 1995, UCI beat No. 10-ranked Hartford).

Junior Dana Sanderlin had the assist on Kopf’s goal Sunday, dropping Texas A&M to 1-1.

UCI returns to action Friday when they open the UC Riverside Tournament against San Jose State at 4 p.m.

— From staff reports