NORTHRIDGE, Calif.—At this point in the season, the UC Riverside Women's soccer team understands how important every game is. That's what made Sunday's result that much harder to swallow.

In their fifth Big West game of the season, second on the road, the Highlanders (10-2-3) took a 1-0 loss to Cal State Northridge to fall to 1-2-2 in conference.

Things remained scoreless until the 56th minute. Marissa Favela, who leads CSUN in goals this season, hit a corner kick from the left side that caromed off the back post and into the net.

Having a hard time finding opportunities to score in the first half, the Highlanders were the aggressors come the second half. They took nine shots (three on goal) and had six corner kicks.

The team's best chances came in the final 15 minutes. The first came in the 78th minute when Brianna Saldana took a rip that just grazed the fingertips of CSUN goalie Amanda Delgado for the save. Then in the 81st minute, Kyra Taylor had a shot in the middle of the box blocked.

However, the best chance may have been in the 88th minute. Defender Amanda Roy, after a foul by CSUN, booted a ball at the goal from over 30 yards away. Delgado was caught off guard with just how well the ball carried and had to jump high for the two-handed save.

The Highlanders will play their final home game of the regular season on Thursday against Cal State Long Beach.