Men's Soccer Drops Road Match to No. 12 UCSB

Wednesday, October 16

Santa Barbara, Calif.

7:00 P.M.

UC Riverside

6-6-2, 1-2-0

UC Santa Barbara

10-2-2, 3-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
UC Riverside	0	0	0
UC Santa Barbara	0	2	2

Photo by: Dwain Linden

Men's Soccer Drops Road Match to No. 12 UCSB

10/16/2019 10:18:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

SANTA BARBARA— After holding the No. 12 Gauchos to a scoreless first half, the UC Riverside Men's Soccer Team fell to host UC Santa Barbara 2-0, Wednesday night at Harder Stadium. Two second half goals would grant UCSB its third conference win, while the Highlanders fall to 1-2 in Big West play.

After 45 minutes of scoreless soccer, the Gauchos were quick to take the advantage and get on the scoreboard in the second period as Finn Ballard McBride had a ball rolled to him in close quarters, before bouncing it in to the net for the first goal of the night in the 52nd minute. In the 67th minute Ballard McBride would strike again, receiving a chip in the box and redirecting it on a tough header into the top right corner of the net.

The Highlanders had their share of opportunities, and nearly scored on a pair of free kicks close to UCSB goal. In the 58th, down just 1-0, junior Daniel Aguirre curved a great ball around the Gaucho wall that was just punched out at the last second by the Santa Barbara keeper. The ball would then ricochet directly off a defender's hand, but the Highlanders would not be granted the possible match-tying penalty kick.

The stat line for each team could not be more equal with both teams taking 10 shots and collecting two saves. The Gauchos won the on-frame battle 4-2, and the Highlanders would take one more corner 4-3.

Aguirre and sophomore Kameron Bolden were the sole players to put a shot on goal and senior keeper Edwyn Gutierrez collected the team's pair of saves.

UC Riverside will now head north for another tough match, and a rematch of last year's Big West Tournament Championship, as the Highlanders take on UC Davis.