The scoreboard reads 2-0 in the Blue-Green Rivalry soccer game, and UCSB has just triumphed over Cal Poly. The night air is familiarly warm in Isla Vista. Tortillas are densely scattered throughout the UCSB sideline. In the most anticipated game of UCSB athletics, the UCSB Gauchos ended their regular season on October 27th with a win over the Cal Poly Mustangs, improving to an undefeated 9-0 record at home. While Santa Barbara is certainly not known for its sports fandom, the Blue-Green rivalry inspires its students to grab their one UCSB shirt and a bag of tortillas and hop into the Gaucho cheering section. They throw tortillas onto the field in support and tradition; players are prepared to sidestep them mid-game.
The exciting atmosphere evidently fired up the Gauchos, who virtually locked down all offense for the Mustangs. Scoreless at half, the Gauchos took a 1-0 lead in the 50th minute with a goal from midfielder Sahid Conteh. Ten minutes later, forward Kaya Fabbretti strengthened their lead to two with a goal from the right side that incited cheering students to empty their seemingly endless tortilla bags. With the leadership of their highest scorer Rodney Michael, UCSB maintained possession for the majority of the game, limiting Cal Poly to less than half their shot attempts. The win makes them 1-1 against the Mustangs this year after an earlier 1-0 loss at Cal Poly in late September.
The Gauchos are a young squad, led by sophomore starters like Michael and defender Hunter Ashworth, both young talents that have propelled them to such a successful season thus far. Next is the Big West Tournament, and though seeding is to be determined, the Gauchos are hoping to make a run at the title. Saturday’s game was an encouraging showing for all Gauchos; the Blue-Green rivalry determines divisional seeding for UCSB soccer, but it also inspires a unified support from a mainly spirit-lacking student body.
The final whistle signalled that the Gauchos had won, the players shook hands, and the students stepped over their empty tortilla bags as they congregated out of the bleachers, walking together to the newly enlivened streets of their small college-town Isla Vista.
Eoin Goyette | Writing Contributor
B.A | Film & New Media Studies | UC Santa Barbara
Eoin has loved telling stories for his entire life, with his interests ranging from Swedish films to fantasy football reports. He is in his 2nd year studying Film & Media at UC Santa Barbara, where he’s a part of the honors program, Zeta Beta Tau fraternity, and many student film productions, including ones which he writes and directs himself. When he isn’t writing or watching movies, you can often catch him lost in train of thought, berating the TV during 49ers games, or shamelessly laughing at his own sarcasm. | Instagram @eoin_goyette| View My Blogs
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