Women’s Soccer Downs Titans to Open Big West Play

Sunday, September 17

Riverside, Calif.

7:00 p.m.

UC Riverside

1-5-4, 1-0-0

Cal State Fullerton

2-4-4, 0-1-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Cal St. Fullerton	0	1	1
UC Riverside	2	1	3

Women’s Soccer Downs Titans to Open Big West Play

9/17/2023 9:11:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - UC Riverside opened Big West play at home for the first time since 2013, making a statement with a 3-1 win over Cal State Fullerton at the UC Riverside Soccer Stadium.

HOW IT HAPPENED

UCR opened its Big West slate with energy and efficiency on the ball, seeing it come to fruition in the 26th minute with the opener from Spenser Gonzales. Daphane Mendez and Aaliyah Tu'ua picked up assists on the strike as the duo passed it in between defenders before centering it for Gonzales from the near side.
Cassia Souza made her lone save of the first half in the 31st minute. Fullerton's attacking front squeezed through a pair of Highlander defenders before the senior came off her line to make the stop, one of three on the night.
Lavinia Vaipulu nearly doubled the lead in the 33rd with a long-range attempt off the post, but Mendez made up for it two minutes later with a volley into the back post. Mendez bagged her second assist of the night in the 62nd minute, feeding a ball into Charisma Benitez who headed it into the back of the net.
Fullerton persistently knocked the ball around the attacking third in the final 10 minutes, erasing the clean sheet in the 87th minute on their ninth corner of the match.

HIGHLANDER HIGHLIGHTS

UC Riverside put up its first three-goal performance in a Big West win since the 2018 conference opener at Cal State Fullerton - coincidentally, by the same 3-1 scoreline.
Mendez made it three straight matches with a goal involvement and four in her last five with the assist on Gonzales' opener and goal in the 35th minute. Gonzales' strike was the third time this season UCR had taken a 1-0 lead and first since September 3 at Nevada.
Mendez also became the first Highlander since 2019 with multiple assists in a Big West match. Aaliyah Tu'ua picked up her first career assist in the process while making her third appearance of the season.

UP NEXT

UCR continues Big West play on Sunday, September 24 when Hawaii visits the UC Riverside Soccer Stadium to finish the Highlanders' five-match home stand. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+. Tickets are available now at highlanderstickets.universitytickets.com.