UC Riverside
UC Irvine
Men's Soccer Begins Three-Match Home Stand vs. UC Irvine And Cal State Fullerton
10/21/2014 11:50:00 AM | Men's Soccer
| Highlanders in Week Nine | |
| vs. UC Irvine | vs. Cal State Fullerton |
| October 22 at 7:00 pm PT | October 25 at 7:00 pm PT |
| Live Stats Link | Live Stats Link |
| Click To Purchase Tickets | Click To Purchase Tickets |
Riverside—The battle for conference tournament positioning is in full swing, and the UC Riverside Men's Soccer Team hosts the top two teams in the South Division this week—nationally-ranked UC Irvine on Wednesday, October 22 at 7 pm PT, and Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, October 26 at 7 pm.
The Highlanders are 1-3-1 in conference, and tied for third place in the South Division with five matches to play. The top three teams in the division advance to the Big West Conference Tournament. UCR dropped a 2-1 decision at CSUN over the weekend (box score/recap) and is looking for its first win since a 4-0 victory over Sacramento State on October 2 (box score/recap).
Defensively, the Highlanders are challenging the program record for fewest goals allowed in a season and lowest goals against average in as season. The 2007 squad gave up 23 goals for a GAA of 1.10, while this year's team has allowed 16 goals for a 1.18 GAA.
UC Irvine has won three straight matches after opening Big West play with a tie at Cal Poly and a loss at UC Santa Barbara. All three of those victories were shutouts, and the Anteaters are now alone atop the South Division with a 3-1-1 record. Irvine has a goals against average of 0.81, and keeper Michael Breslin has been between the pipes for every minute this season.
The 'Eaters lead the conference with 26 goals on the year. Eduardo Calzada's six goals are tops on the team followed by Gor Kirakosyan with five and Dennis Martinez with four.
UC Riverside is 7-17-3 all-time against UC Irvine (view results), but the teams have split their last six meetings.
Cal State Fullerton won two straight Big West matches before falling, 1-0, at UC Irvine over the weekend dropping them four points behind the Anteaters in the South Division.
A balanced offensive attack has helped the Titans score 23 goals in 15 matches this season, but no single player has scored more than four on the year. Marc Fenelus and Garrett Losee each have four followed by Amara Soumah with three and a quartet of Titans with two apiece.
The Highlanders are 10-12-4 all-time against Cal State Fullerton (view results) with wins in each of the last two matches.
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| Highlanders vs. Anteaters and Titans | |||||||||||
| UC Riverside | UC Irvine | Cal State Fullerton | |||||||||
| 2014 Stats & Record | 2-9-2, 1-3-1 | 11-1-2, 3-1-1 | 7-6-2, 2-3-0 | ||||||||
| xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | Schedule | Schedule | Schedule | ||||||||
| Roster | Roster | Roster | |||||||||
| Conference | Big West | ||||||||||
| Current Streak | L 1 | W 3 | L 1 | ||||||||
| Last Box Score | L, 2-1 vs. CSUN | Â W, 1-0 vs.Cal State Fullerton | Â L, 1-0 at UC Irvine | ||||||||
| Next Opponent | Â October 29 vs. CSUN 7 pm PT | October 25 vs. CSUN | October 29 vs. UC Irvine | ||||||||
| Top Scorer x x x x |  | Michael Salazar Junior 4 goals, 1 assist 9 points |  | Eduardo Calzada Junior 6 goals, 2 assists 14 points |  | Marc Fenelusi Senior 4 goals, 2 assists 10 points | |||||
 | Gor Kirakosyan RS-Senior 5 goals, 4 assists 14 points | ||||||||||
| Top Goalkeeper x x x x |  | Ashkan Khosravi Junior 12 matches 1.23 gaa, 53 saves |  | Michael Breslin Junior 14 matches 0.81 gaa, 47 saves |  | Jeff Salt RS-Junior 9 matches 1.00 gaa, 31 saves | |||||
| Record vs. | 7-17-3 (view results) | 10-12-4 (view results) | |||||||||
| Current Streak vs. | L 2 | W 2 | |||||||||
GAME NOTES
LET THE OCTOPI FLY
Michael Salazar became the first player in UC Riverside's Division I history to record a hat trick in the team's season-opening, 5-1 victory over visiting Pacific (box score/recap/video recap). He also added an assist, setting the program's Division I-era record for points in a match as well. The Big West and College Sports Madness honored Salazar with Offensive Player of the Week (story) and Player of the Week accolades respectively (story), while College Soccer News named him to their 12-man National Team of the Week (story).
DEEE—FENSE
The Highlanders have allowed 16 goals in 13 matches this season for a goals against average of 1.19. The program records for fewest goals allowed in a season and lowest GAA are 23 and 1.10 respectively, both set in 2007.
GIMME FIVE
Ashkan Khosravi earned Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Week accolades (story) for the fifth time in his career on September 22 as he was honored following his shutout performance vs. San Diego (box score/recap/video recap).
BUMPS IN THE ROAD
After scoring five goals in the season-opener (box score/recap/video recap), the Highlanders scored just two goals in their next seven matches. They exploded for four goals in their Big West opener in a shutout of Sacramento State (box score/recap), but since then have scored two goals in their last four contests.
BACK-TO-BACK-TO BACK
The Highlanders recorded their first winning season as a Division I program in 2011, and made it back-to-back-to-back winning campaigns in 2012 and 2013 posting records of 10-8-0 and 9-8-3. Those 10 victories also established a Division I-era, single-season record for the program.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
With a 7-1-0 mark in non-conference matches in 2012, the Highlanders broke the program record for non-conference wins in a season established the previous season when UC Riverside finished the non-conference portion of their season with a 5-2-1 mark. Over the past three-plus seasons, UCR is 18-11-4 in non-conference matches, but just 1-6-1 in 2014.
POSTSEASON PLAY
The Highlanders advanced to their first-ever Big West Tournament in 2011, setting what was then the Division I era record for wins in the process. They advanced to their second conference tournament a year ago by finishing third in the South Division of the Big West.
TAKE ME TO THE TOP
Goalkeeper Ashkan Khosravi continues to close in on the Highlanders career wins record. Charles Alamo occupies the top spot in UC Riverside history with 21.
| Career Wins | ||
| Goalkeeper | Years | Wins |
| Charles Alamo | 2003-07 | 21 |
| Ashkan Khosravi | 2012-present | 16 |
| Cody Suppé | 2009-11 | 10 |
Khosravi also recently cracked the top five in career saves for the Highlanders, and is now in third place.
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| Career Saves | ||
| Goalkeeper | Years | Saves |
| Charles Alamo | 2003-07 | 305 |
| Cody Suppé | 2009-11 | 155 |
| Ashkan Khosravi | 2012-present | 152 |
| Josh Alexander | 2001-03 | 118 |
