Breslin brothers produce

The genealogy behind UC Irvine’s contentious 1-0 men’s soccer victory over visiting Cal State Fullerton Saturday night had less to do with the return of the estranged father of the program than the presence of one uniquely bonded band of brothers.

UCI senior defender Bryan Breslin scored the game-winning goal in the 72nd minute and his identical twin, redshirt junior goalie Michael Breslin, made four saves to extend an impressive home scoreless streak in the Big West Conference showdown that opened South Division play before a season-best crowd of 917 at Anteater Stadium.

The victory, the Anteaters’ 11th straight at home dating back to last season, ensured that former UCI head man George Kuntz’s initial return to the school at which he coached the previous 19 seasons was as disappointing for him as it was nostalgic.

Clearly the presence of Kuntz on the visiting bench, dueling with former 17-year assistant coach Chris Volk, who assumed the vacancy left by Kuntz’s voluntary and surprising departure, increased the intensity around a rivalry between Orange County neighbors.

“We sat side-by-side for 17 years,” said Volk, whose No. 7-ranked team has not allowed a goal in five home games this season and eight games in a row dating back to last season. “So to be on opposing benches was a little bit different. We’re two coaches and we are going to put our all into our teams. I think both programs left it out there tonight and we were fortunate enough to get the result.”

The win gives UCI (11-1-2, 3-1-1 in conference) early command of the four-team South Division, dropping the Titans to 7-6-2, 2-3.

It was a command performance for the Breslins, with Michael diving to record half of his four saves and Bryan, who has missed five games this season with two separate concussions, posting his first goal of the season, only the second of his UCI career.

Breslin, whose lone goal last season was the game-winner against Cal State Northridge that allowed the ‘Eaters to clinch the Big West South Division regular-season crown, volleyed in a corner kick from Gor Kirakosyan from the top of the box for the difference Saturday.

Bryan Breslin then sprinted spontaneously onto the track in front of the UCI side of the bleachers, leaping and throwing his fist toward the fans, whom he verbally exhorted, before returning to the collective embrace of his teammates.

“It’s not too often a defender scores a goal,” Bryan Breslin said. “I saw [the corner kick] all the way and I saw someone dragged the main [defender] on their team away from the near-post space and [the goal] just kind of happened. I saw the ball and I smashed it in.”

“You could not have hit it any cleaner,” Volk said of the scoring blast, which Volk said allowed UCI to win on a set piece for the first time this season.

UCI, which has three straight conference wins after UC Santa Barbara scored with six seconds left in regulation to hand them their lone loss of the season, had 13 shots, four more than the Titans.

Michael Breslin dived flat-out to punch a shot to his right wide of the frame in the 55th minute, and his three other saves were anything but routine. Breslin lowered his conference-leading goals-against average and extended his personal scoreless streak to 800 minutes. It was the eighth straight clean sheet at home for Michael Breslin, with two minutes of overtime added to the 720 minutes of regulation therein.

In addition, he protected the net for the final 78 minutes of the last game in which a visitor scored [Cal State Northridge on Nov. 9, 2013], making it 13.3 hours of accumulated playing time since he has had to retrieve a ball from his own net.

“With the concussions, for Bryan to come out and score the game-winner ... I was very happy for him,” Volk said. “And for his brother to get the shutout ... well the team got the shutout, actually. But it’s nice when guys are getting it done at both ends.”

Michael Breslin credited the four-man back line of Mitchell Alvarez, Bryan Breslin, Jack Birkenbeuel and Noah Gaines, as well as defending midfielders Michael Sperber and Mats Bjurman for the shutout.

“We have a motto and that’s team defense,” said Michael Breslin, who was also elated to see his brother double his career scoring production.

“That felt good,” Michael said of Bryan’s tally. “He gets a goal about every year, so we were waiting to see when that would come.”

Senior Cameron Iwasa and junior Lalo Calzada also stood out for the winners, producing four shots apiece.