RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC Riverside returned home on Thursday night at the UC Riverside Soccer Stadium with a 3-0 defeat to Long Beach State. 

Trinity Hale pawed a ball over the bar in the 32nd minute to deny a lofty goal from outside the 18. Hale again denied Long Beach on the doorstep on the ensuing set piece. UCR took it the other way in the 35th for their first glimpse of offense, but not before the ball carried over the end line. 

Rylee Lewis made a forward run and forced a corner to stymie the Beach going the other way. Jayla Justice headed it just wide of the far post. 

UCR put a set piece just over the bar in the 57th minute from beyond the 18. 

Lewis intercepted a lightly played ball in the midfield in the 64th minute and UCR bopped it around the final third. Sarah Mahfoud then had a go that just missed the crossbar. 

Hale punched another shot – this one with plenty of power – up and over in the 79th. The Idaho State transfer swatted away the corner. 

Justice cleared away a loose ball in the final third and Morgan Kennedy deflected a ball over the end line as UCR continued to battle in the final 10 minutes. 

UC Riverside will close the week on Sunday evening with a visit from Hawai'i at 7:00 pm. Tickets are available now at GoHighlanders.com/tickets.