UC Riverside
UC Irvine
With Playoff Berth Secure, Men's Soccer Sets Sights On South Division Championship
11/4/2014 10:13:00 AM | Men's Soccer
| Highlanders in Week Eleven |
| at #18 UC Irvine |
| November 5 at 7:00 pm PT |
| Live Stats Link |
| Click To Purchase Tickets |
Irvine, CA—The UC Riverside Men's Soccer Team clinched a spot in the Big West Tournament last Saturday, and with one match remaining in the regular season, the Highlanders have their collective sights set on a first-place finish in the South Division. To do so, they need to beat #18 UC Irvine this Wednesday beginning at 7 pm PT at Anteaters Stadium.
UCR's 2-2 tie at Cal State Fullerton Saturday (box score/recap) moved them to within one point of Irvine in the race for the top spot in the division. The Highlanders can still finish anywhere from first to third depending on the outcome of their match Wednesday and the result of the Cal State Fullerton vs. CSUN match that same evening.
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2014 Big West Men's Soccer Standings South Division Through November 4 | ||||
| W | L | T | Pts | |
| UC Irvine | 4 | 4 | 1 | 13 |
| UC Riverside | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
| Cal State Fullerton | 3 | 4 | 2 | 11 |
| CSUN | 3 | 5 | 1 | 10 |
This is the second meeting of the year betweeen the Highlanders and Anteaters. UC Riverside upended UC Irvine 2-1 back on October 22 when the 'Eaters were ranked second in the nation (box score/recap/video recap).
Since losing to UC Riverside, the Anteaters have dropped two of three matches, both to CSUN.
The Highlanders are 8-17-3 all-time against UC Irvine (view results) including wins in four of the last seven meetings between the clubs.
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| Highlanders at Anteaters | |||||||||
| UC Riverside | UC Irvine | ||||||||
| 2014 Stats & Record | 4-9-4, 3-3-3 | 12-4-2, 4-4-1 | |||||||
| xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | Schedule | Schedule | |||||||
| Roster | Roster | ||||||||
| Conference | Big West | ||||||||
| Current Streak | T 1 | L 1 | |||||||
| Last Box Score | T, 2-2 (2OT) at Cal State Fullerton | L, 2-0 at CSUN | |||||||
| Next Opponent | |||||||||
| Top Scorer x x x x |  | Michael Salazar Junior 5 goals, 1 assist 11 points |  | Eduardo Calzada Junior 7 goals, 2 assists 16 points | |||||
| Top Goalkeeper x x x x |  | Ashkan Khosravi Junior 15 matches 1.10 gaa, 62 saves |  | Michael Breslin Junior 18 matches 1.01 gaa, 65 saves | |||||
| Record vs. | 8-17-3 (view results) | ||||||||
| Current Streak vs. | W 1 | ||||||||
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 17 matches this season for a goals against average of 1.11. 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.
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.
ALL OR NOTHING
The Highlanders have scored nine of their 19 goals in two matches—the season-opening 5-1 vitory over Pacific (box score/recap/video recap), and a 4-0 win over Sacramento State in the team's Big West opener (box score/recap). In their other 15 matches, the Highlanders have scored 10 goals.
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 they have already clinched a postseason berth this season as well with their seeding yet to be determined.
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 |
