San Jose, CA—The UC Riverside Men's Soccer Team looks to extend its two-match winning streak this weekend as the Highlanders head north for matches at San Jose State on Friday, September 23 at 7 pm PT, and San Francisco on Sunday, September 25 at 4 pm.
UCR ended a three-match losing streak with its two most impressive wins of the season last weekend, when the Highlanders upended San Diego for the first time in program history, 2-0 (
box score/
recap), and topped #20 Gonzaga, 2-1 (
box score/
recap). UC Riverside has eight wins over top-25 opponents over the last six seasons, and is 4-3-0 in its last seven matches against ranked teams.
Goalkeeper Victor Morales was named Big West Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against the Toreros and Bulldogs (
story), and he ranks first in the conference in saves (29) and save percentage (.744).
Ricardo Ruiz leads the Highlanders' offense with six points (two goals, two assists) while Romario Lomeli has a team-high three assists on the year. That gives Lomeli 14 for his career, tying him with Otis Earle '14 for the top spot on UC Riverside's career chart.
San Jose State brings a 1-4-1 record into the weekend with the Spartans lone win coming against Pacific in the season opener. Other results of note are a 0-0 tie against Big West-foe UC Davis, three goal losses to Stanford and Oregon State of the Pac-12, and a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Sacramento State, also of the Big West. The UC Riverside match is only San Jose State's second home match of the year.
Jeremy Romero leads the Spartans with two goals on the season, and Jonathan Colunga has a team-high two assists. San Jose State's offense is averaging just 1.11 goals per 90 minutes. Defensively, Nedin Tucakovic has played all 566-plus minutes in goal this season for the Spartans. He and the team have a goals against average of 2.23
UC Riverside is 4-4-1 all-time against San Jose State, reaching the .500 mark against the Spartans last season with a 3-0 home win (
box score/
recap).
San Francisco is 2-5-0 on the year after losing four straight matches, including a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Big West opponent Cal State Fullerton. Earlier in the season, the Dons picked up a 2-1 win over UC Davis, making them 1-1 on the season against Big West teams. San Fran takes on #23 Stanford at home Friday before hosting UC Riverside.
David Garrett has three of the Dons nine scores on the season, and leads the team with six points, Josh Smith and Aaron Lombardi each have a team-high two assists on the year. Andre Glasnovic has started six of San Francisco's seven matches in 2016, and has a goals against average of 1.83.
The Highlanders split the previous two meetings between the clubs, with San Francisco picking up a 1-0 victory on October 28, 2015 (
box score/
recap), and UC Riverside winning, 3-0, on September 10, 2015 (
box score/
recap).
GAME NOTES
DAZZLING DEBUT
In his first two starts between the pipes as a collegian last season, then-sophomore keeper Vincent Morales pitched a shutout vs. San Francisco in a 3-0 victory on September 10, 2015 (
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).
Morales earned his second Big West Defensive Player of the Week award on September 5, 2016 following the team's second-place finish at the UNLV Johann Memorial Classic (
story).
HOW MANY LICKS DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO THE CENTER OF A TOOTSIE ROLL TOOTSIE POP?
A win over San Jose State Friday would give the Highlanders three straight victories. The last time a UCR team won three consecutive matches was early in the 2013 season, when the Highlanders rattled off four straight to open the year.
LENDING A HELPING FOOT
Senior midfielder Romario Lomeli has 14 assists in his career, tying him atop the Highlanders career charts with Otis Earle ('14).
Player
|
Assists |
| Otis Earle |
14 |
| Romario Lomeli |
14 |
| Andrew Villalobos |
11 |
| Luc Harrington |
11 |
| Jordan Arias |
11 |
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS TWO Since the 2011 season, the Highlanders are 35-1-1 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 |
| 2016 |
3-0-0 |
| 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).
ALL-REGION
The Highlanders have had players named to the All-Far West Region Team in four of the last five years, and in 2015, they had two players honored—Michael Salazar and Norberto Ochoa—each of whom was named to the Third Team.
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 in 2012 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.
FEELING GRAND
The Highlanders topped the 1,000 home attendance mark for the fifth and sixth times in program history in 2015.
| 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 |
GOING PRO
Michael Salazar became the first member of the Highlanders to score in a regulation MLS match on July 2, 2016, netting a pair of goals for the Montreal Impact in their 3-2 victory over New England.
FEELING A DRAFT
The Highlanders have had players selected in the MLS Super Draft in each of the last three seasons, and in the Super Draft or Supplemental Draft in each of the last five seasons.
| Draft |
Student-Athlete |
Team |
Round |
Overall Pick |
| 2016 MLS Super Draft |
Michael Salazar |
Montreal Impact |
2nd |
24th |
| 2015 MLS Super Draft |
Otis Earle |
FC Dallas |
1st |
15th |
| 2014 MLS Super Draft |
Aaron Long |
Portland Timbers |
2nd |
26th |
| 2013 MLS Supplemental Draft |
Jose Diaz |
Chivas USA |
1st |
2nd |
| 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft |
César Diaz Pizarro |
San Jose Earthquakes |
2nd |
25th |
