UC Riverside
Cal State Fullerton (Big West Semifinals)
Men's Soccer Hosts Cal State Fullerton In Big West Conference Semifinal Match
11/10/2014 11:51:00 AM | Men's Soccer
| Highlanders in Week Twelve |
| vs. Cal State Fullerton |
| November 12 at 7:00 pm PT |
| Big West Tournament Central |
| Live Stats Link |
| Click To Purchase Tickets |
Riverside—For the third time in four seasons, the UC Riverside Men's Soccer Team is preparing for a Big West Tournament match. This time, however, the battle for conference supremacy is being waged on the Highlanders home turf as UCR welcomes Cal State Fullerton to the Inland Empire on Wednesday, November 12 beginning at 7 pm PT.
Three years ago, the Highlanders traveled to UC Irvine for a Big West semifinal match which they lost 2-0 to the Anteaters (box score/recap). Last season, UC Davis was the location of UC Riverside's First Round meeting, which the Highlanders dropped 3-1 to the Aggies (box score/recap).
If UCR was to avoid another tournament road tilt, they needed a win at #18 UC Irvine last Wednesday, and the Highlanders got it thanks to two scores by Tyler Miguel and a six-save shutout by KC John (box score/recap). Miguel and Johns were named Big West Conference Men's Soccer Offensive & Defensive Players of the Week respectively (story).
The win also allowed the Highlanders to rest up for a week while waiting for the winner of the Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Davis match to be decided on Saturday. The Titans picked up the 2-1 win over the Aggies, to advance to Wednesday's semifinal match (box score/recap).
The winner of the UC Riverside vs. Cal State Fullerton match will advance to the conference finals to take on the victor of Wednesday's UC Santa Barbara vs. UC Irvine match, which also begins at 7 pm. The Highlanders would host the championship match if they square off against the Anteaters, but a Gauchios victory over Irvine would send UC Riverside on the road to Santa Barbara.
The Highlanders and Titans fought to a pair of draws during the 2014 regular season, tying 1-1 at UC Riverside (box score/recap) and 2-2 at Cal State Fullerton (box score/recap). UCR is 10-12-6 all-time against the Titans, including a pair of wins during the 2013 season (all-time results).
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2014 Big West Men's Soccer Final Regular Season South Division Standings | ||||
| W | L | T | Pts | |
| UC Riverside | 4 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| UC Irvine | 4 | 5 | 1 | 13 |
| Cal State Fullerton | 3 | 4 | 3 | 12 |
| CSUN | 3 | 5 | 2 | 11 |
2014 Big West Men's Soccer Final Regular Season North Division Standings | ||||
| W | L | T | Pts | |
| UC Santa Barbara | 6 | 2 | 2 | 20 |
| UC Davis | 5 | 3 | 3 | 17 |
| Sacramento State | 4 | 5 | 1 | 13 |
| Cal Poly | 3 | 5 | 2 | 11 |
| Highlanders vs. Titans | |||||||||
| UC Riverside | Cal State Fullerton | ||||||||
| 2014 Stats & Record | 5-9-4, 4-3-3 | 9-7-5, 3-4-3 | |||||||
| xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | Schedule | Schedule | |||||||
| Roster | Roster | ||||||||
| Conference | Big West | ||||||||
| Current Streak | W 1 | W 1 | |||||||
| Last Box Score | W 2-0 at #18 UC Irvine | W. 2-1 at UC Davis | |||||||
| Top Scorer x x x x |  | Michael Salazar Junior 6 goals, 1 assist 13 points |  | Marc Fenelus Freshman 6 goals, 2 assists 14 points | |||||
| Top Goalkeeper x x x x |  | Ashkan Khosravi Junior 15 matches 1.10 gaa, 62 saves |  | Jeff Salt Junior 15 matches 0.96 gaa, 54 saves | |||||
| Record vs. | 10-12-6 (view results) | ||||||||
| Current Streak vs. | T 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 20 goals in 18 matches this season for a goals against average of 1.06. 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).
DUKE OF EARLE
UC Riverside defender Otis Earle became the Highlanders' career assists leader earlier this season, and he now has 14 for his career.
ALL-CONFERENCE
The Highlanders put six players on the Big West All-Conference teams this season which is the most ever for the program (story). Michael Salazar and Otis Earle earned First-Team nods, while Ashkan Khosravi made the Second Team, and Romario Lomeli, Stephen Copley and Philipp Dominique were named Honorable Mention. In addition, Ricardo Ruiz made the All-Freshman Team.
College Sports Madness named Earle the Big West Defender of the Year and to the first-team, while also naming Salazar to the first team (story).
DOMINATING D
UC Riverside's Philipp Dominique was named Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Week for matches played October 20-26. He scored the lone non-penalty kick goal to help the Highlanders defeat second-ranked UC Irvine, 2-1, on October 22 (box score/recap/video recap), while contributing to the team's defensive effort which held the Anteaters to just three shots on goal (including one PK) over the entire 90 minutes. In UCR's October 25, 1-1 tie against Cal State Fullerton (box score/recap), Dominique spearheaded a Highlanders defensive effort that yielded just four shots on goal to the Titans.
PERFECT TIMING
Tyler Miguel picked a great time to score his first two goals of the 2014 season as he dented the back of the net twice in the Highlanders 2-0 victory over #18 UC Irvine on the final day of the regular season (box score/recap). That victory vaulted UC Riverside past the Anteaters into first place in the Big West's South Division, giving them a bye through to the semifinals of the conference tournament. It also earned Miguel Big West Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week honors and a spot on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week.
In addition, KC John picked a great time to post his first shutout of the season in goal for the Highlanders, as his six saves and clean sheet also helped UC Riverside secure the number one seed in the South Division. It was just John's third start of the season, and it earned him the conference Defensive Player of the Week award.
UNDEFEATED
The Highlanders have won or tied each of their last five conference matches—the longest such streak for the program since the 2011 version went six straight matches without a defeat. That team also finished conference play with a 4-3-3 record, which is the best Big West mark in UC Riverside Men's Soccer history.
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 year when UC Riverside finished the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 5-2-1 mark. Over the past three-plus seasons, UCR is 18-11-4 in non-conference matches, but went 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, and this season they earned the number one seed in the South Division.
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 | 18 |
| Cody Suppé | 2009-11 | 10 |
Khosravi also recently cracked the top five in career saves for the Highlanders, and is now in second place.
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| Career Saves | ||
| Goalkeeper | Years | Saves |
| Charles Alamo | 2003-07 | 305 |
| Ashkan Khosravi | 2012-present | 161 |
| Cody Suppé | 2009-11 | 155 |
