RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC Riverside traveled across town on Thursday night for the Crosstown Showdown at California Baptist, falling 2-1 at CBU Soccer Field.
CBU claimed most of the shots between the two sides in the match's first 30 minutes, but UCR's back line did well to lure most of them off target.
UC Riverside found a chance early in the 13th minute, as Oscar Penate saw a shot get blocked to keep the match level. The first Highlander shot of the second half found the back of the net, though, as Brendan Clark slotted it into the bottom right off the assist from Penate just four minutes in.
Clark found another opportunity in the 52nd minute, but sailed his shot off target.
CBU leveled in the 53rd minute, but UC Riverside saw a CBU yellow card as an opportunity to reclaim the lead in the 63rd minute as back-to-back shots from Christian Ceja and Issa Badawiya wouldn't find the back of the net.
Badawiya recorded two shots in 55 minutes off the bench for UCR in his first appearance since notching a career-high five shots at Central Florida on September 5.
The Highlanders strung together eight of their nine shots in the final 45 minutes of play, including six between Clark, Badawiya and Freymar Omarsson before the Lancers found the winner in the 87th minute.
UCR will take a six-day rest before traveling to CSUN for the start of the Big West schedule on Wednesday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m. from Northridge. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+ with live stats available on the men's soccer schedule at GoHighlanders.com.
