Riverside—The UC Riverside Men's Soccer Team returns to the Inland Empire this week for its first home match of the 2015 season as the Highlanders take on San Francisco on Thursday, September 10 at 7 pm PT. UCR then heads west on Sunday, September 13 to take on nationally-ranked UCLA at 5 pm.
The Highlanders lost two matches over the weekend on their trip east—4-1 to Syracuse, and 2-1 in overtime to Colgate. Michael Salazar netted his team-leading second score of the year in the loss to the Red Raiders, while Stephen Copley scored his first goal of the season vs. the Orange.
Ashkan Khosravi got the start in goal in both matches, recording 10 saves. The senior needs two more wins to tie Charles Alamo atop the Highlanders' career wins chart with 21.
San Francisco evened its record at 2-2-0 over the weekend with wins over Canisius (2-0) and La Salle (5-1). Five different Dons have dented the back of the net this season led by Davi Ramos and Aaron Lombardi with two apiece. San Francisco has gone with a two-headed goalkeeper situation in 2015 with Andre Glasnovic and Ryan Buckingham each logging two starts. Glasnovic is 2-0-0 on the season with a 1.60 goals against average and 10 saves. Buckingham is 0-2-0 with a 2.60 GAA and one save.
The Highlanders and Dons have squared off against one another on one prior occasion with San Francisco picking up the 2-1 overtime win.
UCLA was ranked number one in the nation heading into the last weekend, but dropped a 2-1 overtime decision on the road to #6 Maryland. The Bruins take on Georgetown on Monday, September 7 at 10 am PT before returning to Southern California to face the Highlanders.
Abu Danladi and Malcolm Jones lead UCLA's offense with one score apiece, and Juan Cerventes has logged every minute in goal, posting a GAA of 0.97 with eight saves.
The Bruins are 4-0 against UC Riverside, with all four wins coming on UCLA's home pitch.
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.
This season, the Highlanders have allowed nine goals in four 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.
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 19-14-4 in non-conference matches.
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 | 19 |
| 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 | 178 |
| 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 | 1.35 |
| KC John | 2013-14 | 1.42 |
| Cody Suppé | 2009-11 | 1.54 |
