October 18, 2015
Titans 1 – Highlanders 0
The UC Riverside women’s soccer team squared off against the Cal State Fullerton Titans last Sunday, hoping to extend a winning streak that spanned three games within the Big West conference.
Most of the match proved to be an offensive shootout, with UC Riverside edging out the Titans 28-19 in shot attempts. Despite the attack chugging along on both sides, the match remained scoreless up until the 61st minute — when a Highlander foul inside the box made way for Morgan Batcheller to convert on a penalty kick, putting the Titans up 1-0.
Missed opportunities were the name of the game for the Highlanders, as two potential equalizing goals were nullified late in the second half. The first came when an Alexa Bustamante header appeared to cross the goal line, but was not ruled a score. The second came on a Fullerton hand ball that occurred just as time expired, which would have given the Highlanders a penalty kick. However, the game was ruled over and the win streak was snapped for the Highlanders.
October 23, 2015
Gauchos 3 – Highlanders 2 (2 OT)
The UCR women’s soccer team followed up last Sunday’s performance with another gut-wrenching defeat. This time it came at the hands of the UCSB Gauchos, who ousted the visiting Highlanders in double overtime.
It did not take long for the scoring to get underway in the match, as Amanda Ball found Mallory Hromatko for a UCSB goal in the ninth minute of the game. However, thereafter, both teams were able to hold each other scoreless throughout the rest of the first half.
Again, UCR was forced to play from behind in the second half, but this time they were able to answer, as Darielle O’Brien knocked one in the back of the net to even the score at 1-1 in the 56th minute. Just three minutes later, O’Brien capitalized off a Danielle Lopez corner kick and scored her second goal of the game, giving the Highlanders a 2-1 lead.
That lead would not last for long, however, as a UCSB corner kick produced an equalizing goal courtesy of Jessica Parque. Both teams remained even throughout the remainder of regulation, sending the game into overtime.
The first overtime saw both teams again hold each other scoreless, as a draw began to loom in the horizon. However, just four minutes into the second overtime period, another UCSB corner kick allowed Chace Schomstein to trap the ball in the penalty box and score the game-winning goal, sealing the Highlanders’ fate.
With the loss, the Highlanders fell to 3-3 in conference play and 9-8-0 overall. In a vastly competitive Big West, the Highlanders now stand right in the middle of the pack at fifth place. After dropping the last two matches, it will now be an uphill battle for the Highlanders in pursuit of the fourth and final playoff spot in the Big West championship. Next up for the team is the final match of the season at home against the CSU Northridge Matadors on Thursday, October 29.
