Men's Soccer Tops Hartford 2-1

Sunday, September 1

Riverside, Calif.

7:30 P.M.

UC Riverside

2-0-0, 0-0-0

Hartford

0-2-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Hartford	0	1	1
UC Riverside	1	1	2

Photo by: Dwain Linden

9/1/2019 11:24:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—The UC Riverside Men's Soccer Team (2-0-0) earned its second win of the weekend Sunday night as the Highlanders bested Hartford (0-2-0) at home 2-1. Junior Roberto Garcia-Vargas ('25) would again find the back of the net and freshman Alex Jung ('49) added his first collegiate goal, which would prove to be the game-winner.

UCR put out its same starting eleven to start the evening match and once again this core group proved tough allowing just two shots on frame from the Hawks, while keeping the pressure on offensively with five of their own.

The two teams were scoreless in the 25th minute, when Garcia-Vargas decided it was time to get on the board as he played a ball through to fellow junior Daniel Aguirre, who played it right back to him, setting him up with a one-on-one with the Hawk keeper. Garcia-Vargas confidentially fired one into the net for his second of the year in as many matches. This would be yet another assist for Aguirre as well.

UCR would head into the half with a 1-0 lead before striking again early in the second half. On the defensive end, senior Edwyn Gutierrez got on a ladder to punch out a well placed shot by the Hawks and his huge defensive effort would spark a Highlander counter the other way. Sophomore Issa Badawiya would find himself in a physical one-on-one before getting by his defender and firing a rocket at the goal. The Hawk keeper would deflect to the other side where Jung was waiting patiently to tap it back in and give UCR a commanding 2-0 lead in the 49th minute.

Hartford was quick to respond landing its first goal of the season just four minutes later, but that would be the sole score for the Hawks as the two teams held each other for the remainder of the match.

This is the first 2-0-0 start for the Highlanders since the 2016 season and the Highlanders will now test their might on the road next Friday at CBU before heading to Dallas, Texas for a Monday night matchup with SMU.