Stockton, Calif. – Two goals were not enough as the visiting UC Santa Barbara Gauchos topped the Pacific women's soccer team 3-2. Goalie Melissa Ma got her first start of the season, logging five saves, and Eliza Hard and Samia Adam both scored for the Tigers. Despite the team's seventh loss on the year, head coach Kerri Scroope was very optimistic in the direction this team is heading.

"There's a lot of positivity and anyone who is following this team can see it's a different game that we're playing right now," said Scroope. "We're trying to possess more and you can see it, we're just having trouble completing in the final third. This is a team that would have given up last year, but next thing you know there's about ten minutes left and its 3-2 and we're back in this game."

Santa Barbara got on the board first in the 17^th minute when Dakota Griggs got one past 'keeper Melissa Ma.  In the 37^th minute, the Tigers answered back when Ebony Ezeji sent a cross into a busy box that managed to find Eliza Hard, who then was able dodge the Gaucho defenders and bounce it past goalie Jacq Caginia to knot the score. UC Santa Barbara regained the lead just two minutes later when Mallory Hromatko fired off a shot in traffic from the top of the box, making it 2-1.

In the second half the Gauchos cushioned their lead in the 55^th minute with a goal off the foot of Savannah Francis to go up 3-1. The Tiger offense continued to press the Gauchos in hopes of narrowing the deficit; and finally did so in the 82^nd minute when Samia Adam drilled a shot from roughly 25 yards out that soared over the Gaucho 'keeper to give Pacific their second goal of the evening.  In the closing minutes of regulation, the Orange and Black surged to find the equalizer and send the game into overtime, however UC Santa Barbara kept the Tigers in check, and the visitors walked off victorious.

Be sure to follow @PacificSoccer on Twitter and @PacificSoccer on Instagram for the latest news and updates on Pacific Women's Soccer.