Saturday, September 1
UC Riverside
3
at
2
Central Arkansas
Highlanders Win Season Opener, 3-2
9/1/2007 3:29:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Conway, AR—Freshman Cito Soriano got his college career off to a great start with a goal and one assist as the Highlanders beat Central Arkansas 3-2 in Conway, Ark on Saturday afternoon. Senior Andrew Villalobos and sophomore Nathan Paterson each had goals for UCR in game that featured six yellow cards.
The Highlanders (1-0) jumped out in front early as Paterson scored his first goal of the season off of a half-volley from 25 feet out for a 1-0 lead at the 1:47 mark. In the 34th minute, Villalobos took a pass from Soriano and put it past Bear goalie Chris Murphy to make it 2-0 UCR. Four minutes later at 38:26, Soriano was in the thick of things again as he stole a pass and dribbled down the sideline before lining in his first collegiate goal into the low right corner to put the Highlanders up 3-0.
The Bears (1-1) received some help in the second half as they cut into the Highlander lead just past the 54 minute mark on a questionable call that awarded UCA a penalty shot. Jimmy Nummy scored for the Bears to make it 3-1. At the 58:29 mark, Bear leading goal scorer Matt Marlin, beat redshirt freshman keeper Ryan Schmitz in a one-on-one encounter to cut the UCR lead to 3-2.
The Bears continued to pressure the Highlanders, launching eight shots in the second half but could only get the two across and the Highlanders won the match and returned to the West Coast in good spirits.
"We came out and played very good for the first half, we attacked very well and scored on some well executed plays. We had some let downs defensively in the second half but it was a great first game for us. This was a very tough place to play, it was hot and humid and we learned a lot about ourselves today, we played very well" Coach Junior Gonzalez said.
The Highlanders stay on the road as they travel down to face San Diego State Monday at 4pm.
The Highlanders (1-0) jumped out in front early as Paterson scored his first goal of the season off of a half-volley from 25 feet out for a 1-0 lead at the 1:47 mark. In the 34th minute, Villalobos took a pass from Soriano and put it past Bear goalie Chris Murphy to make it 2-0 UCR. Four minutes later at 38:26, Soriano was in the thick of things again as he stole a pass and dribbled down the sideline before lining in his first collegiate goal into the low right corner to put the Highlanders up 3-0.
The Bears (1-1) received some help in the second half as they cut into the Highlander lead just past the 54 minute mark on a questionable call that awarded UCA a penalty shot. Jimmy Nummy scored for the Bears to make it 3-1. At the 58:29 mark, Bear leading goal scorer Matt Marlin, beat redshirt freshman keeper Ryan Schmitz in a one-on-one encounter to cut the UCR lead to 3-2.
The Bears continued to pressure the Highlanders, launching eight shots in the second half but could only get the two across and the Highlanders won the match and returned to the West Coast in good spirits.
"We came out and played very good for the first half, we attacked very well and scored on some well executed plays. We had some let downs defensively in the second half but it was a great first game for us. This was a very tough place to play, it was hot and humid and we learned a lot about ourselves today, we played very well" Coach Junior Gonzalez said.
The Highlanders stay on the road as they travel down to face San Diego State Monday at 4pm.
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