RIVERSIDE, Calif—It's hard to imagine the 2018 season starting any better for the UC Riverside Women's Soccer team.

With a 1-0 win over Denver on Friday, the team is now 9-0-1, its best start since 2004. The nine wins are also one more than the team had all of last season. During these 10 non-conference games, nine have also been shutouts.

"These girls have taken it to a different level," head coach Nat Gonzalez said. "Denver is the best team we have faced so far this season and our girls responded. Winning is hard. We have to solve problems and they did that today."

Just like so many other times in these first 10 games, Maddie Feist came through in the clutch. Feist scored on a laser shot in the 52nd minute on an assist from Miah Conde. It marked her sixth goal of the season. The majority of her shots have come in the exact way Friday's was scored.

"In practice I never had the confidence to take these shots, but now that they are going in, I'm just going to continue shooting," said Feist.

Gonzalez's message to the team is centered around consistency and getting five percent better every week.

"Everyone has bought into it and wants to win equally," Gonzalez said. "I think that we have the personnel capable. Every day we know the next competition is going to come out for us more because of our record."

While it's easy to look at the results, he's noticed the biggest difference this year is how the team is practicing during the week.

The team will open Big West Conference play on Sept. 30 at Cal State Fullerton feeling more prepared than ever.

"The team we faced tonight is a version of a team we will face every match during conference play," Gonzalez said. "For us to end our non-conference schedule this way, it was huge. It was a great test because it is what we will see in conference."