RIVERSIDE, Calif.
- The CSUB women's soccer team (1-1) fell to the UC Riverside Highlanders
(2-0), 4-0, Sunday afternoon at the UCR Soccer Stadium. The ?Runners played the
majority of the second half down a player and were unable to put a goal past
the Highlander defense.
In the first half, UC Riverside applied constant pressure on
the CSUB midfield and defense, forcing first-year keeper Marina Constantinou to
make a few nice saves to keep the score knotted at zero early. The ?Runners had
a couple chances in the first as freshman Kassi Massey got away a couple nice
shots from the top of the box. But it was UCR that struck first as Denise
Thomas snuck through the right side of the box and beat Constantinou one-on-one
to the far left post in the 41st minute.
UCR got its second goal less than two minutes into the
second half off a free kick after sophomore Raeanne Quaresma picked up a red
card after tackling a Highlander attacker. Heidi Garrett struck a shot that hit
the top crossbar and bounced straight down into the goal.
The next Highlander goal came courtesy of a corner kick by
Kristy Adcock as the ball was deflected a few times in the box, eventually
landing on Letty Villalpando's foot. Constantinou, who tried to clear the ball,
was unable to reach the shot.
Adcock would add a goal of her own in the 64th minute as she
struck a ball from 35 yards into the top right corner.
“Well, I can definitely say we played against all the
elements today and despite the score, battled hard for 90 minutes,” Head Coach Nicole
Van Dyke said. “Playing in 105 degree weather on artificial turf with ten
players for 45 minutes is a true testament of the character of our kids. We may
not have been as athletic as Riverside,
but we tried to play good soccer. We learned a lot from the game and do not
consider the game a wash and will use this experience in our next game.”
Constantinou finished with eight saves and UCR goalie Brittany Goetz had four. Massey had a team best three shots.
The ?Runners return to action Friday when they host rival Fresno
State in the first ever “Battle
for the Valley Cup” at 7 p.m. on the
Main Soccer Field. CSUB will then entertain the Matadors of Cal State
Northridge on Sunday at 7 p.m.
