Riverside—The UC Riverside Men's Soccer Team kicks off its 2015 regular season campaign on the road this weekend as the Highlanders travel to Concordia on Friday, August 28 for a 3 pm PT start against the Eagles, and to San Diego on Monday, August 31 for a 7:30 pm match against the Toreros.
UCR played one preseason match, beating LMU 3-2 at the UC Riverside Soccer Stadium (
recap/
video recap).
For Division II Concordia, this match counts as an exhibition. The Eagles are coming off of an 11-4-2 season, including a 7-1-2 mark in conference. Gone is the team's leading scorer from a year ago, Edgar Orozco (11 goals, 3 assists), but Connor Gordon (9 goals, 5 assists) is back for his sophomore campaign to lead the offense. Goalkeeper Jordan Birnkley also returns for the Eagles. The junior started all 17 matches a year ago posting a goals against average of 1.24 and recording 69 saves.
This is the first regular season meeting between UC Riverside and Concordia.
San Diego begins its 2015 season this Friday at home against #16 Cal. The Toreros were predicted to finish third in the WCC in the preseason Coaches Poll, following a 2014 campaign that saw them advance to the NCAA Tournament where they beat Cal State Fullerton before falling to UCLA.
Gone from last year's squad is leading point-tallier Connor Brandt (7 goals, 6 assists), but Torrey DeArmas (7 goals, 2 assists) is back for his senior season. Also back in the fold is San Diego keeper Thomas Olsen who started 19 of 21 matches as a freshman a year ago, posting a 0.90 goals against average to go along with 43 saves.
The Highlanders are 0-4-2 all-time against the Toreros, but both those ties have come over the past two seasons.
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 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).
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.
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).
DUKE OF EARLE
UC Riverside defender Otis Earle became the Highlanders' career assists leader earlier this season, and finished his career with 14.
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).
DOMINATING D
UC Riverside's Philipp Dominique was named Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Week for matches played October 20-26, 2014. 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 (story) and a spot on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week (story).
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 (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.
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 in 2014 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.
| Career Saves |
| Goalkeeper | Years | Saves |
| Charles Alamo | 2003-07 | 305 |
| Ashkan Khosravi | 2012-present | 161 |
| Cody Suppé | 2009-11 | 155 |
Khosravi is already the Highlanders leader in career goals against average.
| Career Goals Against Average |
| Goalkeeper | Years | Saves |
| Ashkan Khosravi | 2012-present | 1.25 |
| KC John | 2013-14 | 1.42 |
| Cody Suppé | 2009-11 | 1.54 |
