After playing the first five matches of the season on the road, Bakersfield continues at home Friday night when the Roadrunners host UC Irvine. Kick is set for 7 p.m.

The Anteaters are 4-2-2. UC Irvine defeated then No. 11 UCLA last Thursday night 3-1 before dropping a 2-1 decision to Santa Clara on Sunday at home. Senior forward Enrique Cardenas was named Big West Player of the Week Sept. 23. Cardenas converted each of his penalty kicks Thursday night to secure a 3-1 upset victory over the 11th-ranked Bruins marking the third-ever win over UCLA and second at Anteater Stadium in front of 1,147 fans.

Cardenas also came through in Sunday's loss with a sound offensive play to set up UCI's lone goal against Santa Clara for his first assist of the season. He leads the team with four goals on the season and nine points. UC Irvine is ranked 22nd in the Soccer America Top 25 and 25th in the College Soccer News Top 30.

Bakersfield and Irvine are playing for the seventh time with the Anteaters leading the all-time series 5-1. The teams are playing for the first time since the 2010 season when UC Irvine defeated the Roadrunners 4-0.

Bakersfield and UC Riverside played to a 1-1 tie Sept. 19 at the Main Soccer Field. The Roadrunners scored first when Alex Flores (Jr., Sylmar, Calif., Birmingham Community HS) headed in a Joe Masumiya (R-Jr., Lakewood, Calif., Lakewood HS) corner kick in the 23rd minute. For Flores, a defender, it was his first career goal. The Highlanders tied the score at 41:35 of the first half when Aaron Long converted a penalty kick.