DAVIS, Calif. – Chase Tanon was the hero for UC Davis in the first round of the Big West Conference Championship as his late goal proved to be the winning moment for the Aggies in their 1-0 victory over five-seed Cal Poly.
UC Davis will advance to the semifinal round where it will face off against regular season champions and one-seed Cal State Fullerton down in Southern California.
In a season where wins at home have been hard to come by, UC Davis put in an excellent performance and finally got the goal they deserved in the end. The defensive backline of
Ethan Hoard,
Luke Goodman,
Sean Bilter, and
Cole Pond were fantastic in their efforts to preserve a clean sheet, holding the Mustangs to just one shot on target over 90 minutes.
UC Davis were lively in the attack, firing 13 shots with five on frame.
Zack Lillington was vibrant in his attacking midfield position and was unlucky to not see his name on the scoresheet. His seven shots are the most by an Aggie in a game this season as his strength and driving runs through the middle of the pitch were a vital piece of the team's attack on Wednesday afternoon.
Lillington nearly opened the scoring in the 11
th minute when one of his bruising runs resulted in a powerful right-footed shot across goal, but a fingertip save would keep the game scoreless.
The midfielder had another chance to give his team a lead in the 33
rd minute when Bilter made a blistering run down the right flank before picking out Lillington making a good run to the penalty box. The ball took a hop before it reached Lillington's foot and he would see his attempt rise over the bar.
Tanon started the second half after playing just four of the first 45 minutes and the Lincoln native would show why he has proven to be a super sub in the 2023 season. His hold up play and smooth dribbling in the final third brought a new dynamic to the UC Davis attack and opened up new pathways to goal.
His brilliance was rewarded in the 81
st minute when the striker netted the winning goal.
Cole Pond started the move by playing a switching ball to
Ryan Dieter on the right wing. Dieter controlled the ball well before slipping a pass to Tanon just outside the six-yard box. With defenders draped all around him, Tanon managed to wriggle away from the man marking him before thrusting his shot through the crowd, and into the back of the net, to provide the winning moment to send his team to the semifinal round.
Tanon has now scored three goals in his last four games as the striker has been terrific in the business end of the season. His four goals on the year is second-best on the team despite all 14 of his appearances coming off the bench and playing just 366 total minutes.
Goals
81' – UC Davis (Tanon)
Up Next
The Ags will head to Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 4 for the semifinal round of the Big West Conference Championship. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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