SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - UC Riverside dropped a physical 2-1 road match at UC Santa Barbara on Thursday evening to open its 2021 Big West slate.

UCR and UC Santa Barbara each logged seven shots on the night, with the Highlanders turning in a 4-1 advantage in the second half.

Alexis Vera laid claim to the game's first shot, aiming for the bottom right in the eighth minute. UC Santa Barbara won a dangerous free kick a minute later on the other end, but Jessica Tamayo did well to clear the ball.

UC Riverside's pressure paid off in the 13th minute, when Jazmine Mendez played a through ball up to Alexandra Hargrave in the attacking third. Hargrave dribbled in on goal and picked out the bottom right corner to give the Highlanders the 1-0 lead. 

The score was Hargrave's second of the year and first since August 21. 

UC Santa Barbara played deep into the attacking third 20 minutes in and eyed the far corner, but Cassia Souza's outstretched right hand pushed the ball wide of the post to keep the 1-0 lead intact. 

UCR committed a costly turnover just outside the top of the 18-yard box in the 25th minute, leading to a Gaucho free kick that hit the crossbar before Miah Conde cleared the ball off the line. A second counter attack for UC Santa Barbara, though, would get the job done when Shaye Douglas leveled the match in the 27th minute for the Gauchos.

A quick turn of events resulted in a dangerous opportunity in the 32nd minute as Aleeyah Feliciano turned and fired a shot on goal, but the Gauchos back line deflected it away.

The Gauchos found open space early in the second half, but Braelynn Llamoca pushed the ball over the end line while marking a UC Santa Barbara attacker.

Giselle Uribe also stood tall on the back line from her right back position, erasing a Gaucho chance created from a tight through ball. UC Santa Barbara earned a free kick just outside the 18 with five minutes left and an ensuing corner, but the Highlanders did well to get rid of both inswingers.

UC Santa Barbara broke the deadlock with a volley to the back of the net in the 87th minute before Leigh Polson had a chance of her own on the other end. Miah Conde's dangerous free kick in the final minute was flicked on by Hargrave, but the redirection was right to the Gauchos' goalkeeper.

UC Riverside closes out its longest road trip of the season on Sunday, September 26 with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff at Cal Poly. Live stats, audio and a stream will be available at gopoly.com.