Men’s Soccer Falls in First Round of Big West Championship

Wednesday, November 1

Santa Barbara, Calif.

7:00 p.m.

UC Riverside

3-10-5, 3-3-3

UC Santa Barbara

10-7-2, 4-3-2

Team	1	2	Final F
UC Riverside	1	1	2
UC Santa Barbara	0	3	3

Men’s Soccer Falls in First Round of Big West Championship

11/1/2023 9:35:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - UC Riverside started strong, but dropped a 3-2 decision to UC Santa Barbara in Wednesday's Big West First Round matchup at Harder Stadium.

HOW IT HAPPENED

UC Riverside won two prime scoring opportunities in the first 15 minutes in the form of free kicks, but both attempts went into the wall.
Persistence paid off for UCR's attacking front though, as Noah Lopez brought a ball down in the attacking midfield from Jackson D'Alessandro and wove through a sea of Gaucho defenders to give UCR the 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute.
Carlos Gonzalez was on his line and ready for a key UC Santa Barbara opportunity in the 36th minute, taking away a potential equalizer after shifting post to post. Gonzalez booted a ball down field just seconds into the second half before Luka Lukic advanced it up to a waiting Armando Ibarra Jr. Ibarra chipped the Gaucho goalkeeper for the 2-0 lead.
UC Santa Barbara erased the clean sheet in the 54th minute, but Gonzalez redeemed himself by covering the near post for the save in the 59th minute.
UCR's back line stood tall in the 62nd minute, breaking up a pair of Santa Barbara chances in the box. UC Santa Barbara later equalized from the spot in the 78th minute.
Both sides brought the ball the length of the pitch in an exciting final five minutes of action. Luka Lukic went down the field after a pair of unsuccessful Gaucho chances, but UC Santa Barbara went ahead 3-2 in the 86th minute.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

Noah Lopez finished his junior season with the team lead in scoring, grabbing his fourth goal of the year on D'Alessandro's first collegiate assist and point.
UC Riverside received its sixth goal and fourth assist from a substitute this season on Ibarra's goal and Lukic's assist.

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