Northridge, CA—With two matches remaining in the regular season, the UC Riverside Men's Soccer Team can still secure the two or three seed in the Big West Conference South Division, but they need to win both of their matches this week, and get a little help from their conference brethren. The Highlanders travel to CSUN on Wednesday, October 28, and host Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, October 31. Both matches are slated for 7 pm PT.
| South Division | | | | |
| Team | W | L | T | Pts |
| Cal State Fullerton | 4 | 3 | 1 | 13 |
| CSUN | 3 | 4 | 1 | 10 |
| UC Irvine | 3 | 4 | 1 | 10 |
| UC Riverside | 2 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
UC Riverside trails both the Matadors and Anteaters by four points. Although there are a few different possibilities, the simplest way for the Highlanders to make the postseason is to win both of their matches and have CSUN lose both of theirs. That would give UCR 12 points and leave the Matadors with 10.
The Highlanders can still secure the two seed with a Cal State Fullerton win over UC Irvine on Wednesday, and a tie between the Matadors and Anteaters on Saturday. That would leave the final regular season standings looking like this.
| South Division | | | | |
| Team | W | L | T | Pts |
| Cal State Fullerton | 5 | 4 | 1 | 16 |
| UC Riverside | 4 | 6 | 0 | 12 |
| CSUN | 3 | 5 | 2 | 11 |
| UC Irvine | 3 | 5 | 2 | 11 |
The Highlanders put themselves in this position with a stunning, 2-1 overtime victory at Cal State Fullerton Saturday evening (
box score/
recap). The Titans led 1-0 with just over a minute to go when they were whistled for a red card. UC Riverside took advantage of the extra man, and Stephen Copley headed a Norberto Ochoa cross into the Fullerton goal with 10 seconds remaining to tie the score.
Then, with 93 seconds gone in overtime, the Titans were issued another red card. This one gave the Highlanders a penalty kick, and Tyler Miguel drilled it into the back of the net to keep UC Riverside's postseason hopes alive.
CSUN had won three of its last four matches before falling 2-0 Saturday to UC Irvine. Carlos Gonzalez leads the Matadors with five goals, while Dean Wright paces the squad with four assists. Adam Hobbs has played all but 13:55 in goal for CSUN this season, and has a goals against average of 1.10.
UC Riverside is 4-18-7 all-time against the Matadors but all four of those victories have come over the last nine matches (4-4-1).
The Titans have lost two straight after vaulting to the top of the South Division with a 4-1-1 record. Although they have clinched a postseason berth, Fullerton still has some work to do to lock up the one seed.
Diego Sanchez leads the Titans offense with six goals and three assists for 15 points. David Elias has played every minute in goal this season for Cal State Fullerton and owns a goals against average of 0.92 in 17 matches.
The Highlanders are 11-13-6 all-time against the Titans, with a 3-2-1 record in their last six meetings.
| Highlanders vs. Matadors and Titans |
| UC Riverside | CSUN | Cal State Fullerton |
| Stats & Record | 6-10-1, 2-6-0 | 7-7-2, 3-4-1 | 9-7-1, 4-3-1 |
| Schedule/Results | Schedule/Results | Schedule/Results |
| Roster | Roster | Roster |
| Conference | Big West | Big West | Big West |
| Current Streak | W 1 | L 1 | L 2 |
| Last Box Score | W, 2-1 at Cal State Fullerton | L, 2-0 vs. UC Irvine | L, 2-1 vs. UC Riverside |
Top Scorer
x
x
x
x | | Norberto Ochoa
Senior
7 goals, 2 assist
16 points | Carlos Gonzalez
Senior
5 goals, 1 assist
11 points | Diego Sanchez
Sophomore
6 goals, 3 assists
15 points |
Top Goalkeeper
x
x
x
x | | Ashkan Khosravi
Senior
12 matches
1.94 gaa, 45 saves | Adam Hobbs
Senior
16 matches
1.10 gaa, 69 saves | David Elias
Junior
17 matches
0.92 gaa, 49 saves |
| Record vs. | | 4-16-7 (view results) | 11-13-6 (view results) |
| Current Streak vs. | | L 1 | W 1 |
GAME NOTES
FEELING GRAND
The Highlanders topped the 1,000 home attendance mark for the fifth and sixth times in program history this season.
| Attendance | Date | Opponent |
| 2,016 | September 28, 2011 | #7 UC Santa Barbara |
| 1,186 | November 5, 2011 | UC Davis |
| 1,147 | November 6, 2013 | #15 UC Irvine |
| 1,106 | September 28, 2012 | #3 UC Santa Barbara |
| 1,036 | October 21, 2015 | UC Irvine |
| 1,018 | September 25, 2015 | San Jose State |
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 2014 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).
Norberto Ochoa matched Salazar in the Highlanders' 2015 home opener as he scored all three goals in UCR's 3-0 victory over San Francisco on September 10 (box score/recap). He too was named the Big West Offensive Player of the Week (story) and to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week (story).
DAZZLING DEBUT
In his first two starts between the pipes as a collegian, sophomore keeper Vincent Morales pitched a shutout vs. San Francisco in a 3-0 victory on September 10 (box score/recap), and allowed just one goal to the number eight team in the nation, UCLA, in a 2-1 overtime win on September 13 (box score/recap). He was named the Big West Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts (story).
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS TWO
Since the 2011 season, the Highlanders are 32-1-1 when they score two or more goals in a match. Their lone loss was a double-overtime, 3-2 defeat at the hands of Cal State Fullerton on October 20, 2012.
Season
| Record Scoring
Two Or More Goals |
| 2015 | 6-0-0 |
| 2014 | 4-0-1 |
| 2013 | 6-0-0 |
| 2012 | 8-1-0 |
| 2011 | 8-0-0 |
BREAKING RANKS
The Highlanders beat #8 UCLA, 2-1 in overtime, on September 13, 2015 (box score/recap). It was the first time that UC Riverside defeated the Bruins (1-4-0 as a Division I program), and the team's second Division I victory over a ranked, non-conference opponent (2-0 on September 4, 2007 at #21 San Diego State (box score/recap).
DEEE—FENSE
The Highlanders allowed 23 goals in 19 matches in 2014 for a goals against average of 1.15, just missing out on breaking the program record for lowest goals against average set back in 2007. They did, however, tie the record for fewest goals allowed in a season, originally set by that same 2007 squad.
This season, the Highlanders have allowed 28 goals in 17 matches.
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, 2014 as he was honored following his shutout performance vs. San Diego (box score/recap/video recap).
ALL-CONFERENCE
The Highlanders put six players on the Big West All-Conference teams in 2014 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).
#WINNING
The Highlanders finished conference play a year ago with a 4-3-3 record, which tied the 2011 squad for the program's best Big West mark in UC Riverside history. They are 2-6-0 this season with two matches remaining.
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 in 2012 also established a Division I-era, single-season record for the program.
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 two years ago by finishing third in the South Division of the Big West, and in 2014 season they earned the number one seed in the South Division.
TAKE ME TO THE TOP
Goalkeeper Ashkan Khosravi became the Highlanders career wins leader this season in a 2-1 overtime victory at Cal State Fullerton.
| Career Wins |
| Goalkeeper | Years | Wins |
| Ashkan Khosravi | 2012-present | 22 |
| Charles Alamo | 2003-07 | 21 |
| Cody Suppé | 2009-11 | 10 |
Khosravi also recently cracked the top five in career saves for the Highlanders, and is now in second place.
| Career Saves |
| Goalkeeper | Years | Saves |
| Charles Alamo | 2003-07 | 305 |
| Ashkan Khosravi | 2012-present | 199 |
| Cody Suppé | 2009-11 | 155 |
Khosravi is already the Highlanders leader in career goals against average.
| Career Goals Against Average |
| Goalkeeper | Years | GAA |
| Ashkan Khosravi | 2012-present | 1.32 |
| KC John | 2013-14 | 1.42 |
| Cody Suppé | 2009-11 | 1.54 |
