UC Santa Barbara’s late push fell short in a 2-1 loss at CSUN, extending the Gauchos’ losing streak to three games. After falling behind 2-0, Delilah Vega-Aguilar scored in the 69th minute, but UCSB couldn’t find an equalizer. The result leaves the Gauchos’ Big West tournament position uncertain heading into the regular-season finale.

By the Numbers
  • Final score: CSUN 2, UC Santa Barbara 1.
  • Shots: UCSB 17, CSUN 19.
  • Shots on goal: UCSB 6, CSUN 8.
Yes, But

UCSB created more pressure after halftime, with 10 second-half shots and six corner kicks, but couldn’t convert its late chances into a tying goal.

State of Play
  • UCSB is tied for fifth in the Big West with Long Beach State and Cal Poly.
  • With one regular-season game left, the Gauchos could finish as high as the No. 4 seed or miss the tournament.
What’s Next

UCSB closes the regular season at UC Riverside on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Highlanders enter the matchup after beating Cal Poly; the game will stream on ESPN+.

Bottom Line

The Gauchos need a result in their finale to strengthen their tournament chances, but their Big West seeding also depends on how the other teams in the three-way tie finish.