RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC Riverside played to a 0-0 draw with UTEP on a hot summer night at the UC Riverside Soccer Stadium on Thursday, as Spenser Gonzales made her 50th career appearance. 

UCR applied early pressure down the left sideline with Rylee Lewis on the ball. The Orange native sped down the touchline and crossed a ball into Lauren Nguyen, who was a tad too far off the post and slid it into the side netting. 

Ally Yoshimura ricocheted an attempt off the crossbar shortly after and Nguyen beat two defenders before seeing her shot come off the UTEP keeper's boot, but both instances showed glimpses of an impressive young corps for the home side. 

Macie Baird stepped up in the 40th minute with a tackle and a dispossession before sending a ball over the top to Sarah Mahfoud, who couldn't find the back of the net. 

UCR pressed offensively off the second half whistle with another newcomer connection. Mia DiLeo crossed a ball from the left corner flag and found Nguyen, who continued to be in the right place at the right time. The Hawthorne native sent it just wide of the far post. 

Finley Aghassi lobbed a ball over goal from the top of the box in the 66th minute after the Highlanders won a corner. 

Mahfoud won an aerial 1v1 in the attacking midfield in the 71st minute and continued on into the final third, but had her shot blocked. The Highlanders continued pressing in the 76th with a scramble on the goal line. Baird tried her luck from a set piece in the 81st, but her attempt at the near post curled too much inside and grazed past the woodwork. 

DiLeo attempted another cross in the 88th minute and won a corner for the Highlanders, all after Selena Hernandez won possession in the midfield. Hernandez's defense late in the match helped UC Riverside preserve a point in its first home showing. 

Hernandez appeared on the other side of the ball minutes later, but missed the far post with her header. 

UC Riverside returns to action and its road trip on Thursday, September 4 for a 7:00 pm kickoff at UNLV.