Andrew Nelson
UVU Marketing
0
UC Riverside UCR (0-1-0, 0-0-0)
2
Winner Utah Valley UVU (1-0-0, 0-0-0)
UC Riverside UCR
(0-1-0, 0-0-0)
0
Final
2
Utah Valley UVU
(1-0-0, 0-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UC Riverside UCR 0 0 0
Utah Valley UVU 1 1 2

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Highlanders Fall in Season Opener

Orem, Utah - UC Riverside opened the 2022 regular season on Thursday night in Utah with a 2-0 defeat to Utah Valley at Clyde Field. 

The season opener marked Highlander debuts for a number of Highlanders, including Andrew Nelson, who did not see any action last season, and Taft College transfers Joel Rivera and Elijah Espinoza. Thursday also marked the 10th state that UCR has played in since 2016 after opening last season with a pair of wins in New York. 

Both squads came out with limited opportunities on net for the opening 25 minutes until Utah Valley struck first in the 27th. 

A Carlos Gonzalez goal kick in the 32nd minute quickly turned into a Highlander possession, but Brendan Clark's shot one minute later missed off target. Leopoldo Hernandez, who was named to the Preseason All-Big West squad, followed it up with a blocked shot three and a half minutes later to keep UVU on its heels. A chippy first half came to a close after 14 fouls, five yellow cards and a straight red from the host Wolverines. 

The Highlanders put the pressure on in the attacking third 10 minutes into the second half, then streaked down the field on the counter attack in the 68th minute after a UVU shot hit the woodwork before having the counter broken up in the attacking midfield. 

Vukovic saved a potential 2-0 lead in the 73rd minute with a goal-saving tackle in open play, making his presence felt in his UCR debut. The Highlanders took a methodical approach in the attacking third in the final 15 minutes in searching for the perfect ball for an equalizer, but Utah Valley doubled their lead in the 77th minute.

A Highlander inswinger in the 80th minute gave UCR a look at getting on the board, but a shot and a header would not find the back of the net. Clark was eight yards out on a clever ball into the box, but a point-blank save prevented UC Riverside getting on the board.

UC Riverside comes home to host St. Thomas on Sunday, August 28 at 11:00 a.m. to open the home slate at the UC Riverside Soccer Stadium. Admission is free for all UCR home matches this season.