UC Riverside
CSU Bakersfield
Roadrunners Two Early Goals Lead To UCR Defeat
10/25/2008 8:58:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Taking a break from the team's Big West Conference schedule, the Highlanders welcomed the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners to the UCR Soccer Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Both teams have struggled on the offensive end of the field this season as UC Riverside came into the match with 16 goals in 15 games while the Roadrunners managed just 14 goals in their first 14 matches. It didn't take long for CSUB (4-11-0) to score their 15th goal of the season as Matt Shaxton found Oscar Coppieters just 35 seconds into the match. Coppieters and Towa Manda assisted on Chris Widdy's first goal of the season with 16:22 gone in the period putting the Highlanders (4-11-1) in a 2-0 hole in the early going as the Roadrunners dominated the early play.
The tide began to turn midway through the first, however, as the Highlanders generated some offensive chances, and Joel Crompton (Pleasanton, CA) connected on his sixth goal of the year off of a free kick with just under 15 minutes remaining before halftime. The Highlanders continued to force the pace, outshooting the Roadrunners 10-6 in the first half, but they still trailed 2-1 heading into the locker room at the break.
The Highlanders controlled the pace for most of the second half as well, outshooting CSUB 8-3 in the period and forcing Roadrunners keeper Steve Trojanowski to make a number of difficult saves. However, neither team found the back of the net in the second half and the Roadrunners left the Inland Empire with the 2-1 win.
The Highlanders get back into conference competition this Wednesday as they host Cal Poly at 7 pm at the UCR Soccer Stadium.
