RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC Riverside made history on Saturday evening at the UC Riverside Soccer Stadium, downing UC Santa Barbara 4-1 for the Highlanders' first one seed in program history and the title of Big West regular season champions.
UCR entertained a ruckus, passionate and energetic crowd of campus community members and fans who watched the Highlanders finish job one of two.
"The atmosphere is amazing," head coach Tim Cupello said. "We have an advantage every time we get to play at home, especially like tonight when the fans come out. It's a championship for the university, not just for our program. We finished one job and now we have to finish another. I want these guys to enjoy this championship, but the job isn't done.
Saturday's Senior Night had a chippy start to the match with seven fouls early - six committed by the Gauchos - before Noah Lopez opened the scoring in the 12th minute on a free kick deflection from Brendan Clark.
UC Santa Barbara played a ball on the counter in the 23rd minute, but Carlos Gonzalez came out to the edge of the 18 for the stop. UCR pressed in the final third a few minutes later but was unsuccessful in doubling the lead. Santa Barbara converted an equalizer in the 30th minute on a ball that bounced around in the box.
Issa Badawiya made his mark on Senior Night with the go-ahead goal in the 55th minute off a deflection from the Gaucho goalkeeper, rocketing a deflection into the top corner for the 2-1 Highlander lead. Oscar Penate made it two seniors with a goal after receiving a cross from Noah Lopez in the 73rd minute and finding the opposite corner.
Gonzalez came up clutch for the Highlanders late in the match to help UC Riverside secure its first one seed in program history. UCR's keeper came off his line for the save in the 83rd minute for the save that kept the Highlanders' two-goal lead, then remained on his toes for a Gaucho direct free kick a minute later and was clinical in his box for the rest of the way.
Luka Lukic put the icing on the cake with an 89th-minute strike that all but cemented the win.
UC Riverside will enter next week's Big West Championships as the one seed with a first-round bye into the Semifinals, where they will host the winner of No. 4 vs. No. 5 on Saturday, November 5 at the UC Riverside Soccer Stadium.
