Men’s Soccer: UCI opens NCAA tournament at home vs. UNLV

The UC Irvine men’s soccer team is an at-large entry in the 48-team NCAA Tournament and will play host to UNLV in a first-round contest on Thursday at 7 p.m.

The Anteaters (14-5-3), under first-year coach Chris Volk, are making their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last seven seasons. They reached the Sweet 16 last season.

Junior Lalo Calzada, a transfer from Cal State Bakersfield, leads UCI with 18 points (seven goals and four assists).

Junior goalkeeper Michael Breslin has eight shutouts this season and a 1.0 goals-against average.

Calzada and sophomore defender Michael Sperber are first-team All-Big West Conference performers.

Senior Cameron Iwasa is a second-team all-conference pick for UCI, which was twice ranked No. 3 in the nation this season.

UNLV (14-4-3) is on a four-game unbeaten streak after capturing the Western Athletic Conference Tournament by topping Cal State Bakersfield, 4-2, on penalty kicks, after a 1-1 tie in the title game on Saturday.

The Rebels, making their first NCAA appearance since 1988, were defeated by UCI, 4-2, on Sept. 26. UCI has defeated UNLV three straight times after the Rebels had posted an 18-2-1 advantage in the series. UCI has outscored the Rebels, 12-2, in the last three meetings.

UNLV, which has 10 shutouts and ranks No. 2 in the nation with 44 goals, is led by WAC Tournament MVP Danny Musovski, who is this week’s national Player of the Week.

— Barry Faulkner