RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Alexandra Hargrave logged two assists, UC Riverside scored twice in a span of eight minutes after halftime and the Highlanders opened the 2022 season on Thursday night at UC Riverside Soccer Stadium with a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Nevada. 

UCR is now 1-0 for the second straight year and sixth in the last nine seasons after logging all five of their shots on target in the second half. 

Hargrave logged UCR's first two shots of the new season in the match's first 17 minutes, establishing the Highlanders' presence in the attacking third. The redshirt junior's early pair of shots came on the heels of recording a team-high 24 attempts last season. 

Thursday's season opener briefly switched to a defensive tendency with just three shots between the teams at the 23-minute mark before Nevada struck first in the 25th minute. Hargrave went down in the box in the 31st minute with a chance to level from the spot, but missed the penalty. 

UCR stayed on the brink of equalizing going into the half and didn't have to wait long out of the break, as Alyssa Carranza leveled the match in the 49th minute on a deflection off a corner kick. 

Caela Kaio shortly after made back-to-back saves, including a second one to the top shelf, before Nevada conceded possession on a foul.

UCR capitalized appropriately with Leyna Wood putting the Highlanders ahead off the bench in the 57th minute. The goal, on the assist from Hargrave, was UC Riverside's second shot of the half and just eight minutes following Carranza's equalizer. Wood and Hargrave each accounted for three of UCR's eight shots on the night.

Kameron Henry netted her first of the season in the 87th minute on Hargrave's second assist of the night, but the Wolf Pack pulled one back 30 seconds later to keep the result open before UC Riverside shut the door on its sixth season-opening win in the last nine. 

UCR now heads out on a two-match road trip to the Pacific Northwest. The Highlanders will battle Portland State and Boise State before returning home to host Utah State on September 1.