RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The UC Riverside-Cal Poly series saw its seventh consecutive clean sheet, but not in a favorable way as UCR fell in Thursday's Big West contest to the Mustangs at the UC Riverside Soccer Stadium by a 1-0 score line.
UCR and Cal Poly matched each other stride for stride in the first half while both experiencing their fair share of missed opportunities ahead of a scoreless first half.
A pair of offside calls prevented either side from taking the one-goal advantage in the opening 15 minutes, as Leyna Wood came into the left post just ahead of her last defender two minutes after Cal Poly tried to edge forward with the opening goal.
Kameron Henry made an energetic run down the left side in the 24th minute with a defender beside her, but was bumped off the ball upon entering the 18. Alexandra Hargrave charged up midfield and found McKenzie Moore with a through ball minutes later as the urgency on UCR's attack intensified, but Moore's soft attempt on net deflected off the keeper's left boot. Moore recovered the ball for a second chance but UCR was unable to find the net.
The Hawaii transfer was not done with her efforts on the attack, spinning off a defender and unsuccessfully trying to find the far post in the 31st minute. The Highlanders evaded a 1-0 lead just before the break with an errant header from Cal Poly.
Cassia Souza watched a ball roll across her line beside a Cal Poly striker just minutes into the second half before UCR's back line was able to clear it on the doorstep. A second ball rolled in front of Souza minutes later with the same result, maintaining the 0-0 score line.
The shutout for both sides would not last long though, as the visitors broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute with a ball into the box from the right side.
Hargrave stormed into the final third with a little over 20 minutes remaining, but rolled the ball a bit far and watched it go over the end line as UCR picked up its urgency for a potential equalizer. Aaliyah Tu'ua made a nifty move to find a way into the 18 in the 73rd minute and was taken down, but the whistle went the other way instead of a penalty opportunity for UC Riverside.
UCR put forth three of its four shots in the first half and two of its shots on goal while Souza made three saves on the night against 11 shots faced.
The Highlanders will play their penultimate home match on Sunday, October 16 at 12:00 p.m. from the UC Riverside Soccer Stadium, taking on UC Santa Barbara on ESPN+.
