RIVERSIDE, Calif.—In another hard fought match, the UC Riverside Women's Soccer team came away with a 1-1 draw in double overtime on Thursday night against UC Irvine. Through four games of conference play, the Highlanders are 1-1-2.

"In the Big West Conference you really have such small margins between the teams," head coach Nat Gonzalez said. "That's what you saw tonight. It was pretty equal."

The Highlanders (10-1-3) got on the board first, scoring just before halftime in the 44th minute thanks to a booming kick by Darielle O'Brien. Akari Shimizu had the assist. In the first half, UCR had six shots (three on goal).

Come the second half, the Anteaters were the aggressors and it showed. In the 72nd minute, a foul by UC Riverside just outside the box helped UC Irvine score on a shot by Shelby Lee that deflected off the hands of goalie Laura Perjanik. Kelsee Pottorff had the assist.

"We felt it," Gonzalez said. "It's hard to defend such an aggressive and competitive group like they are."

Perjanik got her third start at goalie this season, coming up with five saves.

"This game really could have gone either way," Gonzalez said. "The three other conference games don't surprise me. We are who we are. We know what we can do well."

The team will now travel on Sunday to play Cal State Northridge, who is 1-2 in conference so far this season.

"We are still in the hunt for the conference playoffs and championship," Gonzalez said. "That's really all you can ask for."