Oct. 5, 2012
Hawai’i 2 – Highlanders 0
The UC Riverside women’s soccer team was matched up against Big West opponent Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine’s last Friday, in hopes of their first Big West conference win of the season. However, the Highlanders were shut out 0-2 for the fifth time this season.
The first period resulted in zero goals for the two teams even though UCR had more chances with three corner kicks compared to Hawaii’s zero. In the first period, the Highlanders were outshot 4-5 by Hawai’i.
Riverside’s goalkeeper Nicole Ragano was in goal for the Highlanders (5-7-2, 0-3-0) making the first start of her collegiate career.
The second half of the match saw Hawai’i put in work with seven shots fired and two corner kicks to Riverside’s zero shots and one corner kick. The first goal of the second period was in the 59th minute when Hawai’i Tiana Fujimoto passed to teammate McKenzie McGoldrick inside the 18 yard box and McGoldrick made the shot in the lower left of the net.
In the 71st minute Hawai’i thought they had their second goal of the game but an offside was called and the goal was pulled off the board. Three minutes later a foul was committed by Highlander Mariah Rojas which resulted in a penalty kick for Hawai’i Chelsea Miyake at the 73 minute mark.
Highlander Regano guessed left but Hawai’i Miyake shot right which gave Rainbow Wahine a 2-0 lead with 17 minutes left in the match.
Oct. 7, 2012
Matadors 3 – Highlanders 1
The UC Riverside women’s soccer team continued their weekend play against Cal State Northridge in what turned out to be a horrible match for the Highlanders when they found themselves down 0-3 at the half. The Highlanders were only able to score one goal in the second period for a 1-3 loss.
The Matadors scored early in the first period when CSUN Stephanie Galarze found Melissa Fernandez for the first goal of the game and Fernandez’s third goal of the season. The second goal of the game came at the 25 minute mark when Fernandez and Amanda Smith found Kendall Moskal for her first goal of the season, which put the Matadors up 2-0.
The Matadors would score their final goal at the 35 minute mark when Cori Deason found Chloe McDaniel for her first goal of the season.
Highlander Nicole Ragano was at goalie for UC Riverside for her second start of the season and it would be her toughest game so far this year as the Matadors compiled 21 shots to Riverside’s 11 and Cal State Northridge’s four corner kicks to Riverside’s one.
Riverside finally scored their one and only goal in the second period at the 80 minute mark. Jessica Cortez found teammate Crystal Lopez for her fourth goal of the year.
The Highlanders have not yet won a Big West game and are 0-4 in conference play. They play their next opponent Oct. 14 at Cal State Fullerton before returning back home Oct. 19 against Cal Poly.
