Highlanders Suffer Second Defeat of Season

Thursday, September 17

Riverside, Calif.

7:30 pm

UC Riverside

3-2-2, 0-0-0

UC Irvine

3-3-1, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
UC Irvine	0	2	2
UC Riverside	0	0	0

Parking

Photo by: Elena Versage

Highlanders Suffer Second Defeat of Season

9/17/2026 11:59:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The Highlanders hosted UC Irvine tonight at the UCR Soccer Stadium for the first of five matches against Big West Conference opponents. However, UC Riverside dropped the match, 2-0. It was the second defeat for the Highlanders and the first since the season opener at Oral Roberts.

Neither team could find anything in the first half and for the Highlanders they did not record a shot on goal. The Anteaters recorded four and Highlanders' goalkeeper Giancarlo Sagredo saved all four.

Early in the second half, UC Irvine got on the board off the foot of Zac Smuck. It came off an indirect kick in the box and he was able to get it in the top right corner to give the Anteaters a 1-0 in the 53'. The second goal, also from Smuck, came in the 70' on a pass by James Arteaga.

The lone UCR shot on goal came off the foot of Tarek Hamideh in the 55' and it was saved by Scott Williams.

Next up for the Highlanders is a trip to Sacramento State to take on the Hornets. That match is on September 23 with a 1PM start. That match will be broadcast on ESPN+.