NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – UC Riverside kicked off its 21st year in the Big West on Wednesday evening with a midweek tilt at CSUN, falling 1-0 at Matador Soccer Field.

Adrian Meade-Tatum found a clean hole at the goal mouth with a header that was pushed aside in the 16th minute before CSUN beat Carlos Gonzalez for the night's first goal three minutes later. 

UCR expanded its offense in the latter stages of the first half. The Highlanders worked their way up the pitch until a foul in the attacking third turned the ball over, but UC RIverside put fresh legs on the pitch in the final 10 minutes of the half with Westley Hastings' fourth appearance of the season. 

The Highlanders strung together one last first-half chance and set up a free kick with Christian Ceja-Paniagua drawing a yellow card. Brendan Clark took the set piece looking for the equalizer, but sent the ball over the near post. 

UC Riverside flung nine shots at the Matadors in the first half, six of which came inside the 18. 

Clark found himself standing over another free kick just two minutes into the second half after Issa Badawiya was taken down just outside the 18 from straight on.

The Stetson transfer tied UCR's single-match record with a career-high nine shots, three of which were on frame. The ninth and final attempt came in the last 10 seconds, as Clark tried to find the near post for the equalizer. 

UCR's best opportunity of the night came in the 77th minute on just the Highlanders' second corner of the match, when the inswinger took a bounce off Meade-Tatum's shoulder and Badawiya's head before going out for a CSUN goal kick. 

UC Riverside will host UC Davis on Saturday, October 1 at 7:00 p.m. for the Highlanders' Big West home opener. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+ with live stats available on the men's soccer schedule at GoHighlanders.com.