RIVERSIDE, Calif. – UC Riverside opened its Big West home schedule on a windy Thursday evening at the UC Riverside Soccer Stadium with a 3-0 defeat to Cal State Fullerton.
UCR threatened early in Fullerton's attacking third. The home side moved the ball around in the fifth minute and pushed the ball up top, where Finley Aghassi skied one over the bar. Rylee Lewis received a nifty midfield give-and-go in the eighth minute, but misjudged a through ball before later getting a shot off from the left side.
UC Riverside won its first corner in the 12th after a blocked shot. The Highlanders continued dictating the pace with controlled possession and crafty attempts at breaking Fullerton's back line. The Titans couldn't muster a shot until the 15th minute, a credit to UCR's stuffy defense off the whistle.
Nikki Velasco poked a ball over the end line in the 21st minute to deny a Fullerton 1v1 with Trinity Hale, and Ally Yoshimura cleared the debris after the ensuing corner bounced dangerously around the box.
Mia DiLeo challenged a defender to a ball over the top in the 24th minute, but Fullerton cleared it twice – first on a Highlander corner, then for a goal kick. Hale grabbed a header on the other end to preserve the 0-0 scoreline in the 28th minute, and Lewis forced more pressure in the 29th to win the Highlanders' third corner overall and second in four minutes.
Spenser Gonzales lobbed in a free kick in the 39th that tested an outstretched Fullerton goalkeeper at the back post. UCR continued pressing for the lead just before halftime.
The Highlanders continued forcing the issue with a corner in the 51st minute, shortly after Lewis found open space and blasted one over the bar. Fullerton bounced the ball around the box in the 52nd before finding the back of the net, then doubled its lead three minutes later.
Lewis continued making plays into the 61st minute. The Idaho State transfer won a free kick that Paige Gartner bent perfectly towards the top right corner, but into the keeper's hands. Jayla Justice sped towards the left post in the 64th minute, but was forced into a narrow angle with her cross that Fullerton's keeper corralled.
Aghassi collected two of the Highlanders' final four shots of the night. The freshman, who continued her streak of starting every match this season, first went left in the 65th minute before attempting it head on and low in the 76th.
UC Riverside returns to the pitch on Sunday, September 28 for a 7:00 pm tilt at CSUN on ESPN+.
