Women’s Soccer Finds Late Winner in Victory over North Dakota

Sunday, September 6

Riverside, Calif.

10:00 am

UC Riverside

2-4-0, 0-0-0

North Dakota

2-3-1, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
North Dakota	1	0	1
UC Riverside	0	2	2

Photo by: Roderick Orellana

Women’s Soccer Finds Late Winner in Victory over North Dakota

9/6/2026 12:39:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

81st-minute goal propels Highlanders to first home win since 2024

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - UC Riverside (2-4-0, 0-0-0 Big West) began winding down its non-conference schedule on a wet Sunday morning at the UCR Soccer Stadium with a 2-1 win over North Dakota (2-3-1, 0-0-0 Summit League).

Goals from Macie Baird and Lauren Nguyen gave the Highlanders their first home win since September 2024 while Baird and Morgan Humphrey put in complete 90 minute shifts.

UCR took time to settle into Sunday's match, but held the ball in the final third seven minutes in with its first corner. The Highlanders cleared damage in the 14th minute with a goal line clearance, prompting a goal kick from KaMia Elliott.

Video review negated a potential penalty kick for North Dakota in the 15th minute as the rain picked up. Elliott came off her line in the 17th to stop an attack and UCR built an attack down the left flank in the 18th with Mia DiLeo on wing. The Riverside native crossed a ball into the box but couldn't connect.

UCR won a free kick in the 20th minute in the midfield. Finley Aghassi played a good ball in, and a second long-range attempt from the sophomore went wide as the Highlanders continued to find offense. North Dakota benefited from lucky bounces in the box in the 24th minute before finding the back of the net.

Elliott corralled a low shot later in the 28th minute to minimize the damage.

Juliet Savage cut out a defender in the 39th minute shortly after subbing on to force a corner that missed the net entirely. Savage, who made her first appearance since August 23, let go of a shot in the 44th minute just wide of the near post.

UCR put immense pressure on the visitors starting in the 54th minute. Sanaa Guyness sent a ball on a wire into Rebecca Hernandez, who narrowly missed the top bar on the volley. A corner after connected on a header with the same result. It was Aghassi's turn to connect with the woodwork in the 57th, coming just inches from an equalizer.

Another strike was deflected away in the 60th minute, and Albertine Faye repeated in the 64th.

Faye beat a defender by the corner flag in the 68th minute and whipped a ball in that bounced around before Macie Baird poked in the equalizer. Aghassi nearly put the Highlanders ahead a minute later before having a penalty saved in the 75th minute.

DiLeo whipped a ball into Lauren Nguyen who connected at the back post to put UCR ahead in the 81st minute.

The Highlanders return to action on Thursday, September 17, to close out non-conference play with a 4:30 pm kickoff against Northern Colorado for Senior Day. Tickets are available now at GoHighlanders.com/tickets.