Wednesday, October 19
Riverside, CA
7:00 PM
UC Riverside
vs
Cal State Northridge
Photo by: Gabriel L. Acosta
Men's Soccer Looks To Climb Back Into Big West Race vs. CSUN
10/18/2011 8:10:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Riverside—The UC Riverside Men's Soccer Team is looking to climb back into the Big West Conference postseason race this week beginning with a Wednesday evening home match vs. Cal State Northridge. Kick off is slated for 7 pm PT, and fans who are unable to attend may follow the match live on their computers or select mobile devices via LiveStats.
The Highlanders are currently in sixth place in conference with four points. There is a three-way tie for second at the moment as the Matadors, Cal Poly and UC Davis all have nine points. The top four teams in the Big West advance to the postseason.
The Matadors enter Wednesday's match coming off of a 2-1 overtime loss vs. UC Davis. Their lone other conference defeat came in a 2-0 loss at UC Irvine. All three of CSUN's Big West victories have come via shutout.
UC Riverside has just one win in 20 tries against the Matadors, but that one victory came a year ago as the Highlanders upended CSUN on the road, 2-1, in overtime.
Following the Cal State Northridge match, UCR travels to fifth-place UC Santa Barbara Saturday for a 7 pm tilt with the Gauchos. Fans who are unable to attend may follow the match live on their computers or select mobile devices via Presto Sports Primetime.
Despite a 2-3-0 mark in conference play, UCSB is still ranked 14th in the nation by the NSCAA and 15th by Soccer America. One of those losses was a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Highlanders back on September 28 (Video HIghlights). It was the second win ever for UC Riverside over the Gauchos.
GAME NOTES
MEAT IN THE SEATS
Attendance at UC Riverside home matches in 2011 was already up 15 percent from a year ago before a crowd of 2,016 saw the team upset #7 UC Santa Barbara on October 28 by a 3-1 score.
That total more than tripled the previous benchmark of 638 set on November 3, 2010 in a 1-0 win over UC Davis. It also pushed UCR's season attendance to 3,572 which broke the record of 3,036 set in 2010.
At the next home match, the Highlanders had 852 in attendance as they squared off against #7 UC Irvine. That raised the season attendance total to 4,424, for an average of 727 per match—118 percent better than last year's record setting average.
The Highlanders still have three home matches remaining on the 2011 schedule begining with the team's upcoming match against Cal State Northridge.
RPI
The initial NCAA RPI rankings came out this week, and the Highlanders are currently 78th in the nation. If UC Riverside can maintain that mark, it will be the higest ranking for the program in its 10-plus-year history.
FEELING A LITTLE RANK
The Highlanders 3-1 win over #7 UC Santa Barbara was the program's third win against a ranked opponent in the 10-plus year Division I history of the program. UC Riverside's first win against a ranked opponent was a 2-0 decision at #21 San Diego State on September 4, 2007. They followed that up with a 2-1 victory over #7 UC Davis on October 18, 2008.
THE .500 MARK
Prior to this season, the Highlanders were last over the .500 mark in October of 2007 when they were 4-3-5 through 12 matches.
HOME COOKING
The Highlanders ran their program-record home unbeaten streak to six matches on September 28 with a 3-1 win over #7 UC Santa Barbara. That streak came to an end on October 12 with a loss to the #7 ranked UC Irvine Anteaters.
DON'T LOOK ETHEL!
UC Riverside ran its overall unbeaten streak to six matches with a 3-1 upset victory over #7 UC Santa Barbara on September 28. The streak came to an end on October 1 in a 1-0 loss at UC Davis. It is the longest unbeaten streak in the 10-plus year history of the program.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
With a pair of wins in Florida on September 23 and 25, the Highlanders improved their non-conference record to 5-2-1 which gives them the most non-conference wins in the history of the program and just the second winning record during their non-conference season during the team's Division I history (2007, 3-2-2).
RARIFIED AIR
The Highlanders need one more win on the year to tie the school record for victories in a season set by the 2003 team and later matched by the 2004 squad.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Senior Cesar Diaz Pizarro leads the Highlanders this season with 6 goals (tied for 3rd in the conference) and 2 assists for 12 points (6th). That moves him to second in the team’s Division I career history in points, goals and game-winning goals.
Career Points
Career Goals
Career Game-Winning Goals
LENDING A HELPING FOOT
The Highlanders recorded 25 assists during the 2010 season which is the most in the Division I history of the program. They have 16 assists this year in 13 matches.
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSIONI
UC Riverside's 23 goals in 2010 are the second most in the Division I history of the program. So far in 2011, UCR has 18 goals in 13 matches.
SHOOTING BLANKS
The Highlanders were shut out in back-to-back matches on October 1 at UC Davis and on October 9 vs. Cal Poly. The last time UC Riverside failed to score in back-to-back matches was on September 29 and October 2 of the 2010 season as No. 9 UC Irvine topped UCR 3-0 and Cal Poly picked up a 1-0 overtime victory.
SUPPE'MAN
Cody Suppé was credited with 11 saves in the Highlanders 1-1 double overtime tie with San Jose State on September 17 which are the third highest single-match total in the history of the program. That helped him earn Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors. Suppé leads the Big West in saves per match at 4.42.
Suppé also ranks second on UC Riverside's single-season victory chart with six on the season. He needs one to tie Charles Alamo's seven wins recorded during the 2004 campaign.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
Two familiar faces are gracing the sidelines for UC Riverside this season as the team’s original head coach, Nat Gonzalez, has rejoined the staff as an assistant coach, and the team’s career leading scorer, Luc Harrington, has done the same as a volunteer assistant.
The Highlanders are currently in sixth place in conference with four points. There is a three-way tie for second at the moment as the Matadors, Cal Poly and UC Davis all have nine points. The top four teams in the Big West advance to the postseason.
| Big West Standings (thru 8/15) | W | L | T | Pts |
| UC Irvine | 4 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Cal Poly | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| Cal State Northridge | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| UC Davis | 3 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| UC Riverside | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Cal State Fullerton | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
The Matadors enter Wednesday's match coming off of a 2-1 overtime loss vs. UC Davis. Their lone other conference defeat came in a 2-0 loss at UC Irvine. All three of CSUN's Big West victories have come via shutout.
UC Riverside has just one win in 20 tries against the Matadors, but that one victory came a year ago as the Highlanders upended CSUN on the road, 2-1, in overtime.
Following the Cal State Northridge match, UCR travels to fifth-place UC Santa Barbara Saturday for a 7 pm tilt with the Gauchos. Fans who are unable to attend may follow the match live on their computers or select mobile devices via Presto Sports Primetime.
Despite a 2-3-0 mark in conference play, UCSB is still ranked 14th in the nation by the NSCAA and 15th by Soccer America. One of those losses was a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Highlanders back on September 28 (Video HIghlights). It was the second win ever for UC Riverside over the Gauchos.
| Highlanders vs. Matadors & Gachos Match Capsule | |||
| UC Riverside |
CSUN |
UCSB | |
|
2011 Record & Stats |
6-5-2, 1-3-1 |
6-6-1, 3-2-0 |
9-4-1, 2-3-0 |
| Schedule | Schedule | Schedule | |
| Roster |
Roster |
Roster | |
| Conference | Big West | ||
| Current Streak |
T 1 |
L 1 |
L 1 |
|
Most Recent Box Score |
T, 1-1 at Cal St. Fullerton |
L, 2-1 (OT) vs. UC Davis |
L, 2-1 at Cal Poly |
| Next Opponent |
Oct. 26 vs. Cal St. Fullerton |
Oct. 22 at UCLA |
Oct. 26 vs. UC Davis |
| Top Scorer |
 CesarDiaz Pizzaro Senior 6 gls, 2 ast 14 pts |
 Ramos Sophomore 4 gls, 2 asts 10 pts  Smith Sophomore 2 gls, 6 asts 10 pts |
 Silva Senior 9 gls, 4 asts 22 pts |
|
Top Keeper |
 CodySuppé Senior 12 matches 1.34 gaa, 53 svs |
 Abalos Junior 12 matches 1.12 gaa, 47 svs |
 Grandt Junior 14 matches 1.11 gaa, 40 svs |
|
All-Time Record vs. |
1-12-6 (View Results) |
2-16-1 (View Results) |
|
| Current Streak | W 1 | W 1 | |
GAME NOTES
MEAT IN THE SEATS
Attendance at UC Riverside home matches in 2011 was already up 15 percent from a year ago before a crowd of 2,016 saw the team upset #7 UC Santa Barbara on October 28 by a 3-1 score.
That total more than tripled the previous benchmark of 638 set on November 3, 2010 in a 1-0 win over UC Davis. It also pushed UCR's season attendance to 3,572 which broke the record of 3,036 set in 2010.
At the next home match, the Highlanders had 852 in attendance as they squared off against #7 UC Irvine. That raised the season attendance total to 4,424, for an average of 727 per match—118 percent better than last year's record setting average.
The Highlanders still have three home matches remaining on the 2011 schedule begining with the team's upcoming match against Cal State Northridge.
RPI
The initial NCAA RPI rankings came out this week, and the Highlanders are currently 78th in the nation. If UC Riverside can maintain that mark, it will be the higest ranking for the program in its 10-plus-year history.
FEELING A LITTLE RANK
The Highlanders 3-1 win over #7 UC Santa Barbara was the program's third win against a ranked opponent in the 10-plus year Division I history of the program. UC Riverside's first win against a ranked opponent was a 2-0 decision at #21 San Diego State on September 4, 2007. They followed that up with a 2-1 victory over #7 UC Davis on October 18, 2008.
THE .500 MARK
Prior to this season, the Highlanders were last over the .500 mark in October of 2007 when they were 4-3-5 through 12 matches.
HOME COOKING
The Highlanders ran their program-record home unbeaten streak to six matches on September 28 with a 3-1 win over #7 UC Santa Barbara. That streak came to an end on October 12 with a loss to the #7 ranked UC Irvine Anteaters.
DON'T LOOK ETHEL!
UC Riverside ran its overall unbeaten streak to six matches with a 3-1 upset victory over #7 UC Santa Barbara on September 28. The streak came to an end on October 1 in a 1-0 loss at UC Davis. It is the longest unbeaten streak in the 10-plus year history of the program.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
With a pair of wins in Florida on September 23 and 25, the Highlanders improved their non-conference record to 5-2-1 which gives them the most non-conference wins in the history of the program and just the second winning record during their non-conference season during the team's Division I history (2007, 3-2-2).
RARIFIED AIR
The Highlanders need one more win on the year to tie the school record for victories in a season set by the 2003 team and later matched by the 2004 squad.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Senior Cesar Diaz Pizarro leads the Highlanders this season with 6 goals (tied for 3rd in the conference) and 2 assists for 12 points (6th). That moves him to second in the team’s Division I career history in points, goals and game-winning goals.
Career Points
| 57 | Luc Harrington | 23 goals, 11 assists | 2001-04 |
| 39 | Cesar Diaz Pizarro | 17 goals, 7 assists | 2008-11 |
Career Goals
| 23 | Luc Harrington | 2001-04 |
| 17 | Cesar Diaz Pizarro | 2008-11 |
Career Game-Winning Goals
| 7 | Luc Harrington | 2001-04 |
| 6 | Cesar Diaz Pizarro | 2008-11 |
LENDING A HELPING FOOT
The Highlanders recorded 25 assists during the 2010 season which is the most in the Division I history of the program. They have 16 assists this year in 13 matches.
| Single-Season Team Assists | ||
| 25 | 2010 | |
| 22 | 2004 | |
| 20 | 2005 | |
| 20 | 2003 | |
| 20 | 2002 | |
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSIONI
UC Riverside's 23 goals in 2010 are the second most in the Division I history of the program. So far in 2011, UCR has 18 goals in 13 matches.
| Single-Season Team Goals | ||
| 28 | 2004 | |
| 23 | 2010 | |
| 22 | 2008 | |
| 22 | 2007 | |
SHOOTING BLANKS
The Highlanders were shut out in back-to-back matches on October 1 at UC Davis and on October 9 vs. Cal Poly. The last time UC Riverside failed to score in back-to-back matches was on September 29 and October 2 of the 2010 season as No. 9 UC Irvine topped UCR 3-0 and Cal Poly picked up a 1-0 overtime victory.
SUPPE'MAN
Cody Suppé was credited with 11 saves in the Highlanders 1-1 double overtime tie with San Jose State on September 17 which are the third highest single-match total in the history of the program. That helped him earn Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors. Suppé leads the Big West in saves per match at 4.42.
Suppé also ranks second on UC Riverside's single-season victory chart with six on the season. He needs one to tie Charles Alamo's seven wins recorded during the 2004 campaign.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
Two familiar faces are gracing the sidelines for UC Riverside this season as the team’s original head coach, Nat Gonzalez, has rejoined the staff as an assistant coach, and the team’s career leading scorer, Luc Harrington, has done the same as a volunteer assistant.
Day in the Life: Leilani Juan
Monday, May 04
UCR Student-Athletes cheer on our students.
Friday, May 01
UCR Athletics Director Introductory Full Press Conference
Tuesday, March 24
Athletics Director Greg Paules Introductory Presentation Recap
Tuesday, March 24
