Highlanders Sign Alamo, Moreira and Dunn to National Letters of Intent

(Feb. 1, 2003) -The UC Riverside men's soccer team has signed three players to National Letters of Intent, Coach Nat Gonzalez announced Tuesday.

Joining the Highlanders for the 2003-04 academic year are goalkeeper Charles Alamo (San Luis Obispo, CA/SLO HS), midfielder/forward Mark Moreira (San Diego, CA/Pt. Loma HS), and midfielder/defender Jesse Dunn (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Capistrano Valley HS).

Alamo (6'3" 190) entered the CIF tournament with 14 shutouts through 25 games. He was named All-Northern League as a junior, and was named The San Luis Obispo Tribune Prep Athlete of the Week this season as a senior.

"We look for big things from him next year," Gonzalez said. "This is a position in which we lacked experience and size. He has natural abilities that will help him be successful very quickly. I hope to guide him through his freshman year so that he has a foundation set for him to be an impact in our program."

Moreira (5'9 155) plays for the San Diego Nomads Soccer club, helping the team win the Club Regional Championship in 2000. He has also been a four year member of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) Cal-South State team. In 2001 he won an ODP National championship as a member of the Cal-South state team. He also was selected onto the regional pool for his age group in 1998-1999.

"We are excited about Mark and his vast youth experience he brings to UCR," Gonzalez said. "He has played and pushed himself to play at the highest levels possible, which excites us about his potential to be an impact player. He is very versatile and we can see him playing a few different spots for us next season. I believe his speed of play and physical speed will be a strength of his even in year one."

Jesse Dunn (5'8 150) is a four letter winner at Capistrano Valley HS and also plays for the San Diego Surf club team. He has also been a four year member of the ODP Cal-South State team. For each of those four years on the Cal-South team, he has also been selected onto the regional pool for his age group.

"Jesse is a good addition to our program in that is versatile. He has good work rate off the ball and is very tenacious in the tackle," Gonzalez said. "He will be vital in solidifying our backline and being equally dangerous on the attack. Physically he will develop into a quality Division I player. He has speed that we can use on the attack from deep positions on the field."

Gonzalez said that the Highlanders hope to sign two or three more players shortly.

Highlanders Add Four to 2003 Roster

(July 2, 2003) -The UC Riverside Men’s Soccer team announced the additions of Midfielder Sergio Perez of Palmdale, CA, defensemen William Roraff of Highland, CA, Goalkeeper Lucas Pepi of Santa Clarita, CA, and Scott Barnett of Newberry Park, CA to the 2003 roster. Pepi is an incoming freshman, while Perez is a transfer from Sonoma State, Roraff is a transfer from Loyola Marymount, and Barnett is a transfer from Loyola College in Maryland.

Perez, who will enter UCR in the fall as a sophomore, recorded one goal in five appearances as a freshman at Sonoma State. “Sergio is a very dynamic player that can take players on the Division I level,” said Head Coach Nat Gonzalez. “He is very technical and will help create chances for our players.”

Roraff, who will enter UCR in the fall as a sophomore, recorded one assist in five appearances for Loyola Marymount last season. “He is coming from a Top 20 program and understands how to win at the Division I level,” Gonzalez said. “, With his speed and ability to swing crosses on to our front runners, he is a threat on the attack as a defender.”

Pepi graduated from Saugus High School, and will enter UCR as a freshman in the fall. Pepi is a three-year letter winner at Saugus HS and received first team All-Foothill League during his final two seasons. “Lucas is a goalkeeper who will raise the level of this position,” Gonzalez said. “Due to his work ethic, we think that Lucas will develop and become a solid goalkeeper.

Barnett, who will UCR in the fall as a sophomore, recorded three assists in 19 appearances for Loyola College last season. “Scott is an excellent athlete with speed and is able to hit accurate long balls,” Gonzalez said. “He should come in and help solidify the backline.”

UCR Blanks Cal Baptist, 4-0

(Aug. 20, 2003) - The UC Riverside men’s soccer team shut out the Cal Baptist Lancers in an exhibition game today at the UCR Soccer Stadium, 4-0.

UCR wasted no time scoring as sophomore Nick Supergan slipped a cross from freshman Mark Moreira past Cal Baptist ‘keeper Justin Nitti in the 10th minute to give the Highlanders the early 1-0 advantage.

The Highlanders added their second goal in the 35th minute as junior Luc Harrington strategically placed the ball in front of the Lancers goal for Jordan Arias to knock the ball over the head of Nitti which gave the Highlanders a 2-0 cushion.

The Highlanders added two more goals in the second period as Harrington scored an unassisted goal in the 66th minute, and Supergan scored his second goal of the day on a penalty kick in the 83rd minute to give the game it’s final score of 4-0.

“I was pleased to see us have such good ball movement which allowed us to get good scoring opportunities,” said Head Coach Nat Gonzalez. “It was good to get the guys out there to be able to evaluate them in a competition setting.”

UCR will be back in action on Friday, as they will host the Vanguard University in exhibition play at the UCR Soccer Stadium at 6:00 p.m. The Highlanders will open their regular season play on the road against Saint Mary’s College on August 29th.

UCR Battles to a Tie With Vanguard

(Aug. 22, 2003) - ) The UC Riverside men’s soccer team battled to a 1-1 tied in an exhibition game against Vanguard University tonight at the UCR Soccer Stadium.

Vanguard struck first in the 22nd minute as Lancer forward Armando Ortiz slipped in an unassisted goal past Highlander ‘keeper Josh Alexander to give Vanguard a 1-0 early advantage.

UCR tied things up in the 46th minute as freshman Mark Moreira took a cross pass from Luc Harrington and slipped it past Lancer ‘keeper Tommaso Bianchi.

Despite the game ending in a tie UCR out shot Vanguard 14-11. Alexander allowed one goal, and recorded one save, while Bianchi allowed one goal and recorded six saves.

The Highlanders will open their regular season play on August 29th, as they will travel to meet Saint Mary’s. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.

UCR Tops Saint Mary's, 1-0, in Season Opener

(August 29, 2003) -Luc Harrington's second-half goal ended up being the game winner as the Highlanders shut out host Saint Mary's, 1-0, Friday at Garaventa Field.

UCR broke a first half tie when Harrington scored the game’s only goal with 23:02 remaining in the first half. Harrington’s goal came off an assist by Chris Netley. Harrington finished the game with four shots, two coming on goal. The Highlanders were led by Harrington and Scott Barnett, who added two shots.

Freshman netminder Charles Alamo recorded his first NCAA shutout in his first start for the Highlanders making eight saves.

The Gaels were led offensively by Patrick Lower and Niles Almarinez, who each had four shots. Saint Mary’s goaltender Kellan Wilson added five saves in the loss.

The Highlanders start the season with a 1-0 record with the win, while Saint Mary’s fall to 0-1.

UCR continues this road trip with a match against Sacramento State on Sunday, August 31 at 2:00 p.m. The Highlanders open the 2003 homestand hosting San Jose State on Sunday, September 7 at 1:00 p.m.

Highlanders Lose in Overtime, 2-1, to Sacramento State

(August 31, 2003) - The Hornets' Chris McAlavey's goal in the 91st minute gave the Sacramento State men's soccer team a 2-1 sudden-death victory over UC Riverside, Sunday afternoon at Hornet Soccer Field.

The Hornets got on the board first in the 10th minute when senior midfielder Sam Sneed scored from the left side of the goal. Sophomore midfielder Miguel Ramirez began the play by sending a ball up the left side. Freshman defender Jesse Manton one touched the pass down the left sideline for Sneed. Sneed outran a Highlander defender and placed a shot in the top right corner of the goal.

The score remained the same after the first half until UC Riverside evened the score in the 76th minute on a goal by Luc Harrington. UC Riverside's Mark Moreira began the play by striking a shot at the Hornet goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Matt McDougall deflected the shot off the right side but fell to the ground. Jordan Arias retrieved the ball and crossed it to the left side. Harrington took one touch and poked a shot in the open net to even the game.

In the first overtime period, freshman Kris McAlavey dribble the ball up the left side and sent a pass to Sneed in the middle of the field. Sneed took one touch and sent a pass towards the left corner. McAlavey corralled the pass and placed a shot to the top right corner for the win.

The Highlanders dominated with a 17-9 shot advantage and continued to pepper the Sacramento State goalkeep with seven shots on goal.

Sacramento State is now 1-0 on the year while the Highlanders dropped to 1-1.

The Higlanders conclude their three-game road swing at the University of San Diego on Friday, September 5 and open the 2003 home schedule against San Jose State University on Sunday, September 7 at 1:00 p.m.

Highlanders Shutout, 3-0, by San Diego

(September 5, 2003) - The UC Riverside men's soccer team was shut out, 3-0, by the University of San Diego Friday evening at Torero Stadium. The Highalnders fall to 1-2 with the loss while the Toreros pick up their first win and improve to 1-1-1.

USD's Sy Reeves opened the scoring three minutes into the match when he headed in a cross to put USD ahead. San Diego pressured the Highlander defense throughout the first half out-shooting UCR 12-1 after 45 minutes of play.

The Toreros also received goals from Eric Wunderle and freshman Ryan Guy. Wunderle netted San Diego's second goal when he scored in the penalty area and at the 30-minute mark, Guy put USD in front, 3-0, scoring unassisted from 15 yards out.

UC Riverside (1-2) freshman Edgar Alejo gave the Highlanders its best chance to get on the scoreboard when an attempt midway through the second half, but the shot ricocheted off the far post. On the night UCR was outshot 16-3 and was unable to register a corner kick.

The Higlanders open the 2003 home season againg San Jose State University on Sunday, September 7 at the UCR Soccer Stadium. The match is set to start at 1:00 p.m.

UCR Defeats SJSU in a Double Overtime Thriller, 2-1

(Sept. 7, 2003) - ) Junior forward Luc Harrington’s goal in the 107th minute gave the UC Riverside men’s soccer team a 2-1 sudden-death victory over San Jose State Sunday afternoon in their home opener at the UCR Soccer Stadium.

The Highlanders (2-2-0) broke a scoreless tie in the 48th minute as Harrington took a cross pass from sophomore midfielder Jordan Arias and headed the ball just over the reach of Spartan ‘keeper Eddie Dominguez to give the UCR the early 1-0 lead.

In the 62nd minute Matt Bush headed the ball past Spartan ‘keeper Dominguez for what appeared to be the Highlanders second goal of the day. However, the officials negated the goal as they called a foul against UCR.

The Spartans tied things up with a goal in the 83rd minute as Jose Flores snuck the ball by Highlanders ‘keeper Charles Alamo after the ball ricocheted off several players from both teams.

Although San Jose State (2-1-1) out shot UCR 22-10 the Highlanders had plenty of scoring opportunities. In the 56th minute Spartan ‘keeper Dominguez slipped and fell with the ball 10 yards out in front of an open net. UCR sophomore Nick Supergan was the nearest player to the ball, but was unable to put the ball in the goal.

Charles Alamo picks up the win for the Highlanders as he recorded seven saves and allowed one goal. Alamo’s counterpart Dominguez allowed two goals while recording two saves.

“San Jose came out and pressured us a lot in the last couple of minutes of regulation and through the extra periods,” Head Coach Nat Gonzalez said. “It was good to see that the team could withstand that pressure, and pull off the win.”

UCR will be back in action on Saturday September 13th, as they travel to play San Diego State with a game time of 4:00 p.m. UCR will return home on September 17, as they will open Big West play against Cal State Northridge. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.

SDSU Defeats UCR, 2-1

(Sept. 13, 2003) - The UC Riverside men’s soccer team was defeated by the San Diego State Aztecs 2-1 at the SDSU Sports Deck today.

The Aztecs (3-1) dominated the first five minutes of play as they controlled the action in the UCR side of the field. However, it was the Highlanders (2-3) who got the first break of the game as Scott Barnett slipped through the SDSU defense to punch one into the right side of the net at the 7:06 mark. The score remained at 1-0 entering halftime despite the fact that UCR was out shot 10-5 in the first half.

The beginning of the second half was contested mostly in the midfield as neither team registered a shot until 15 minutes into the period. The Aztecs would tie things up in the 80th minute as Dione Scott headed the ball past Highlander ‘keeper Charles Alamo. Two minutes later SDSU added their second goal of the game to give the Aztecs the come from behind victory.

UCR will be back in action on September 17, as they will open Big West play against Cal State Northridge at the UCR Soccer Stadium. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.

UCR Battles to a Scoreless Draw Against #24 CSUN

(Sept. 17, 2003) - The UC Riverside men’s soccer team battled to a scoreless draw in their Big West opener with #24 Cal State Northridge today at the UCR Soccer Stadium.

After a slow start to in the first half the Highlanders (2-3-1, 0-0-1) came out roaring in the second half as they put pressure on the 24th ranked Matadors (3-0-2, 0-0-1) out shooting them 11-10 for the period. UCR’s scoring opportunities came often in the early going as Jeff Pusey had several good looks at the net, only to have his shot attempts saved by Matador ‘keeper Radames Lafaurie.

The Matadors almost saw their unbeaten streak come to an end as in the 82nd minute Luc Harrington’s header off of Jordan Arias’ corner kick almost slipped in, but bounced off the top of the goal post, which gave CSUN a sigh of relief.

Freshman goalkeeper Charles Alamo had another impressive outing for the Highlanders as he recorded 12 saves against the high-powered Matador offense that is averaging 3.2 goals a game. Alamo improves his record to 2-3-1. Alamo's counter part Lafaurie recorded six saves on the day.

UCR will be back in action on September 27th, as they will travel to play Westmont College in Santa Barbara. The game time is set for 12:00 p.m. UCR will return home on October 3rd to host the Loyola Marymount Lions, with a game time of 3:00 p.m.

Lee Gives UCR a 1-0 Win Over Westmont

(Sept. 27, 2003) - U.C. Riverside visited Westmont for the first time since 1975 and made a first-half goal stand up for a 1-0 victory over the Warriors Saturday afternoon.

This was the first meeting between the two squads since UC Riverside moved up to NCAA Division I status three years ago.

John "Trey" Lee knocked in a score in the 22nd minute after a long throw in from Matt Bush crossed through the box virtually untouched giving the Highlanders (3-1-1) a 1-0 lead.

Lee also had an excellent scoring opportunity in the second half, sending in a shot off a corner kick that just sailed over the goal.

UCR Falls to LMU, 3-0

(Oct. 3, 2003) - The UC Riverside men's soccer team was shut out, 3-0, by the Loyola Marymount Lions Friday at the UCR Soccer Stadium.

LMU's Danny Williams opened the scoring in the 22nd minute as Michael Brewer headed a throw in by Mathew Kovar to slip the ball in the net for the 1-0 lead. Time of possession in the first half was just about even, with LMU edging the Highlanders in shot attempts 8-4.

The Lions (6-3-1) also received goals from Michael Erush and Bobby Burling. Erush netted LMU’s second goal when he scored a line drive on a free kick from the left side of the field in the 47th minute. Burling put the Lions in front, 3-0 with a goal in the 50th minute.

UC Riverside (3-4-1) sophomore Scott Barnett gave the Highlanders its best chance to get on the scoreboard when an attempt midway through the second half, but the shot was saved by LMU’s ‘keeper Shaun Kalnasy. On the day UCR was outshot 16-10 and was unable to register six corner kicks.

The Highlanders will be back in action on Sunday, as they will host UNLV at the UCR Soccer Stadium with a game time slated for 3:00 p.m.

UCR Surge Past UNLV, 4-1

(Oct. 5, 2003) - Edgar Alejo’s two goals performance helped the UC Riverside’s men’s soccer team surge past the UNLV Rebels 4-1 today at the UCR Soccer Stadium. The Highlanders improve to 4-4-1 with the win while the Rebels fall to 3-8.

Las Vegas dominated the time of possession in the first period out shooting UCR 9-3. However, it was the Highlanders who struck first with just 17 seconds remaining in the period. After a penalty was called against UNLV just to the left of the goalie box, Luc Harrington took the free kick and placed the ball right at the feet of Highlander Freshman Edgar Alejo, who slipped the ball through a crowded goal box to record his first colligate goal, and give the Highlanders a 1-0 halftime lead.

UCR took that momentum into the second period as Alejo scored his second goal of the game as Highlanders midfielder Cory Craig took a pass from Harrington and placed the ball inside the goal box for Alejo to push the score to 2-0.

The Highlanders added their third score of the game in the 79th minute as Luc Harrington took a rebound from his own missed shot to slip a pass to Nick Supergan who then launched the ball past the Rebels ‘keeper Peter Clintherone to give UCR a 3-0 cushion.

UCR sealed the deal with their fourth goal of the game in the 81st minute as Harrington took a huge lead pass from Jeff Pusey for a one-on-one with UNLV’s Clintherone and was able to score the goal to give UCR a 4-0 lead with only nine minutes remaining.

The Rebels spoiled the shut out as in the 83rd minute Rod Dyanchenko took a pass from Jon Dunning and slipped it past Highlander ‘keeper Josh Alexander, giving the games its final of 4-1.

UCR will be back in action on Saturday October 11th at the UCR Soccer Stadium, as they will host Big West Rival Cal State Fullerton. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.

Edgar Alejo Named Player of the Week

(Oct. 6, 2003) - Freshman forward Edgar Alejo has been named Big West Player of the Week by the conference office today.

Alejo helped UCR bounce back from a, 3-0, defeat against LMU with a, 4-1, victory against UNLV this past weekend. He scored two of the Highlanders four goals, including the eventual game winner.

These two goals were the first in Alejo's collegiate career, and now places him second on the Highlanders scoring chart just behind junior forward Luc Harrington.

UCR Defeats CSUF, 2-1

(Oct. 11, 2003) - Luc Harrington and Edgar Alejo each score a goal as the UC Riverside men’s soccer team defeated Big West rival Cal State Fullerton, 2-1, today at the UCR Soccer Stadium.

In the 50th minute junior midfielder Cory Craig received a red card, forcing the Highlanders to play the remaining 40 minutes one man down. Normally this would cause a team to lose focus; instead the Highlanders used this situation as a motivational tool as they went on the attack.

UCR (5-4-1, 1-0-1) broke the scoreless contest in the 66th minute as Harrington knocked a goal in after taking centering pass from midfielder Jeff Pusey to give UCR the early 1-0 advantage.

The Highlanders gave themselves a 2-0 cushion in the 70th minute as Harrington took a pass from Jordan Arias, and slipped the ball over to Alejo who put one past Titan ‘keeper Sam Reynolds.

The Titans spoiled the shutout with just 1:19 left on the clock as Samuel Rivas slipped one past Highlanders goalkeeper Josh Alexander giving the game its final of 2-1.

With the win UCR improves their home record to 3-1-1.

UCR will be back in action on Wednesday October 15th as they will play host to defending Big West champion UC Santa Barbara. Game time is slated for 3:00 p.m. at the UCR Soccer Stadium. The Highlanders will then travel to play Cal State Fullerton on Oct. 18th, with a game time set for 7:00 p.m. at the Titan Stadium.

UCR's Luc Harrington Earns Second Honor of the Week

(Oct. 14, 2003) - After being named the Big West Men’s Soccer Co-Player of the Week on Monday, UC Riverside’s junior forward Luc Harrington was named to Collegesoccernews.com’s National Team of the Week, comprised of 11 of the top performers in NCAA Division I men’s soccer.

Harrington (Diamond Bar, CA/Diamond Bar HS) helped the Highlanders to victory against Cal State Fullerton, scoring a goal and assisting on the game-winning goal. The win propelled UCR to its best ever start in conference play (1-0-1) and first place in the Big West Standings.

Harrington leads all Highlanders in goals scored with six, and assist with four. Harrington has been responsible for two game winning goals, and one game winning assist, which came this past weekend against Cal State Fullerton.

The Big West Conference Player of the Week Award is voted upon by the conference offices. Each school can nominate a player for consideration. This marks the second week in a row that a UCR men’s soccer player has been named Player of the Week, last week freshman forward Edgar Alejo got the honor.

The Highlanders return to the pitch on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the UCR Soccer Stadium to face No. 7 ranked UC Santa Barbara. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m.

UCSB Squeaks Past UCR, 2-1

(Oct. 15, 2003) - UC Santa Barbara squeaked out a 2-1 victory over the UC Riverside men’s soccer team today at the UCR Soccer Stadium.

The Gauchos (9-1-1, 2-0-0) attacked the Highlanders (5-5-1, 1-1-1) defense right out of the gates and came away with the first goal of the game in the 13th minute. UCSB’s Neil Jones took a pass from Memo Arzate who managed to slip the ball past UCR’s goalkeeper Josh Alexander to give the Gauchos a 1-0 early advantage.

UCR came out strong in the second half as they went on the attack dominating the time of possession. Highlanders midfielder Jeff Pusey scored his first goal of the season in the 68th minute as he took a crossing pass from Jordan Arias to even things up at one a piece.

The Gauchos scored the game winning goal in the 78th minute as Arzate slipped a pass in the goal box to UCSB’s Drew McAthy who punched the ball past Alexander to give the game it’s final of 2-1.

UC Riverside will be back in action on Saturday as they travel to play Cal State Fullerton with a game time slated for 7:00 p.m.

Highlanders Battle Back for a 2-1 Win Over CSUF

(Oct. 18, 2003) - ) UC Riverside's Luc Harrington tallied the game-winning goal in the 73rd minute on a rocket from 24 yards out, lifting the Highlanders to a 2-1 victory over host Cal State Fullerton on Saturday night in a Big West Conference men's soccer match at Titan Stadium.

Cal State Fullerton fell to 5-7-1 overall, 1-3 in the Big West, and lost for the first time this season on its home pitch after winning four consecutive matches at Titan Stadium. UC Riverside improved to 6-5-1 overall, 2-1-1 in the Big West.

In a fiercely competitve first half, Fullerton sophomore Eugene Brooks got the Titans on the board first in the 40th minute, taking a through ball from Sean Gallinger in the box which was misplayed by the UCR goalkeeper, and shooting into a wide open net for the 1-0 Titan lead.

The advantage was short-lived as UCR's Paulo Vellanoweth answered back for the Highlanders with just 34 seconds remaining in the period. Vellanoweth collected a ball from John "Trey" Lee and broke through a pair of Titan defenders in the box, beating the Fullerton keeper to the left post to knot the score at 1-1.

That set the stage for Harrington's heroics in the second half as he rocketed a shot from the top of the penalty area past a diving Fullerton goalkeeper and into the lower right corner of the frame to give the Highlanders the 2-1 lead.

The Titans, who outshot the Highlanders 16-11 for the match, had a golden opportunity in the closing moments when a streaking Fullerton player was tackled from behind at the very top of the box. A free kick was awarded, however, instead of a penalty kick, but was lifted high over the crossbar, preserving Riverside's lead.

Josh Alexander made five saves in net for UC Riverside in the victory while Sam Reynolds made three saves on the night for the Titans.

The match was delayed 1:20 at the outset due to late arriving officials.

The Highlanders return to action on Wednesday (Oct. 22) at 2:30 p.m. when they hit the road to face Cal State Northridge.

Highlanders Lose, 3-1, to #19 CS Northridge

(Oct. 22, 2003) -The 19th-ranked Cal State Northridge scored three goals to top UC Riverside, 3-1, Wednesday at Matador Soccer Field. With an earlier tie in Riverside earlier this season, the Highlanders are 0-1-1 in the season series.

The Matadors improve to 8-2-2 overall and 2-1-1 in Big West Conference action, while the Highlanders drop to 6-6-1 and 2-2-1 in conference play.

Filling in for an injured Charles Alamo, Josh Alexander made five saves in the match, but the Matadors were able to get on the board early in the fifth minute. Coming from the near corner, freshman Willie Sims passed to junior Yossi Raz, who crossed a ball to the box. Delvalle used his head to beat Alexander, scoring at 4:12 to make it 1-0 CSUN.

However, the Highlanders would tie up the match nearly six minutes later thanks to their leading scorer. Luc Harrington received a free kick from Scott Barnett and headed it past Matador goalkeeper Radames Lafaurie for his eighth score of the season at 10:09 to tie the match at one.

In the 26th minute, the Matadors would take the lead for good. Junior Jesse Servin passed to junior Juan Guerrero, who crossed a ball to LeRoy on the far side. LeRoy beat Alexander to the ball and kicked it in for his fourth goal of the season at 25:43 to make it 2-1 Northridge.

Miranda would score his second goal in as many games in the 73rd minute, showing his great hustle. Servin passed from the far side to the center to Miranda, who made a few moves and arched a ball over Alexander to make it 3-1 at 72:06.

The Highlanders tried to get back in the match just three minutes later, but Lafaurie stoned Edgar Alejo on a point-blank shot to preserve the 3-1 lead.

CSUN outshot UC Riverside for the match 24-19, with each goalkeeper making five saves. Raz and Miranda each had four shots for the Matadors, with all but two of CSUN's 16 position players taking at least one shot. Alejo had five shots for the Highlanders, while Erasmo Solazano had four.

The Highlanders continue this five-game road trip at UC Irvine on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 7:00 p.m. UCR closes out the 2003 regular season at home against UC Irvine and Cal Poly on Wednesday, Nov. 12 and Saturday, Nov. 15, respectively. Both matches are scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

Highlanders Lose in Double Overtime to UCI, 2-1

(Oct. 25, 2003) - The UC Riverside men's socer team lost to the UC Irvine Anteaters today at the UCI Soccer Stadium, 2-1.
 
The Highlanders got on the board first with a goal in the 36th minute as Paulo Vellanoweth crossed the ball into the Irvine goal box to freshman forward Edgar Alejo, who then out dribbled the Irvine defenders and was able to put one past Irvine's 'keeper for the 1-0 early advantage.

At the 86:52 mark, UCR was given a yellow card inside their own penalty box and awarding the Anteaters a penalty kick. Senior Anthony Vizcarra took the kick for UCI and tied the game at 1-1 with little over three minutes remaining in regulation. The score would remain 1-1 at the end of regulation.
 
In the third minute of the first overtime period a UCR player received a red card and the Highlanders would have to play a man down for the remainder of the match. UCR had several opportunities to end to the game in the first overtime, but were unable to connect.

In the second overtime,UCI's Sebastian Galmarini knocked in the gamewinner off a pass by Sean Iliff with 2:30 left in the second overtime to give UCI their second straight win in Big West Conference play.
 
The Highlanders will be back in action on Wed. Oct. 29th as they travel to play Cal Poly with a game time of 7:00 p.m.

Highlanders Fall, 3-1, to Cal Poly

(Oct. 29, 2003) - The UC Riverside men’s soccer team fell, 3-1, to Cal Poly in a Big West Conference match Wednesday night in Mustang Stadium.

The Mustangs (5-6-3. 2-4-1 Big West) took an early 2-0 lead less than five minutes in the match, including a goal notched :42 into the first half.

Trailing, 2-0, heading into the half, the Highlanders (6-8-1, 2-4-1) had just two shots and no shots on goal in the first frame.

UCR would have its best chance of the first half coming in the 25th minute as Trey Lee crossed the ball over the Mustang's penalty box. The ball found Edgar Alejo's head, who put the ball back into the middle of the penalty box that resulted in a diving header from Luc Harrington that just went over the crossbar.

In the second half, play started to get very rough. In the 51st minute, the Highlanders suffered a tough blow as Luc Harrington received a red card, putting the Highlanders down a man. Harrington and Mustang midfielder Matt Trotter were chasing down a loose ball when Harrington decided to slide tackle Trotter, in a scissor-like manner, from behind near the sidelines.

The Mustangs would capitalize on the Highlander's misfortune in the 73rd minute as Calderon collected the ball in the Highlander's penalty box and played the ball in between two defenders to a streaking Francisco Marmolejo who finished the ball in the left corner from 12 yards out. This is Marmolejo's first goal of the year, Calderon's second assist.

The Highlanders would get a late goal in the 85th minute as Mark Moreira found Kyle Warsinski on the left side. Warsinski took a touch away from a Mustang defender and then hit a low, driven ball to the right corner.

Gauchos Defeat UCR 3-1

(Nov. 8, 2003) - Drew McAthy scored his 13th goal of the season and Johnny Alcaraz scored the first of his career to lead UC Santa Barbara to a 3-1 Big West soccer home win over UC Riverside.

McAthy scored the Gauchos' first goal on a penalty kick at 41:06. UCSB was awarded the penalty kick when Matt Kubota was taken down on the box by a UC Riverside defender.

The Gauchos made it 2-0 just over five minutes into the second half when Alcaraz took a perfect through-ball from Memo Arzate and hit a slow roller to the far post. UCR goalkeeper Josh Alexander, who was defending the middle of the goal, tried in vain to scramble after the ball but he could not get there in time.

The Highlanders cut the UCSB lead in half at the 53:17 mark when forward Edgar Alejo came-up with a failed clearing, one-touched the ball to the top left corner where forward Jordan Arias cracked a hard shot past Gaucho goalkeeper Dan Kennedy.

Santa Barbara got an insurance goal at 82:05 when a Matt Kubota shot was deflected by a Riverside defender and Gene Deering pounced on it and shoved it past Alexander.

In the match, UCSB outshot UCR by a 23-7 count and Alexander recorded nine saves for the Highlanders.
The victory improves the Gauchos' record to 13-4-1 overall and 5-3-0 in the Big West. The Gauchos are in second-place, one-point back of Cal State Northridge and three-points up on UC Irvine. UC Riverside drops to 6-9-1 overall and 2-5-1 in the league.

Highlanders Blank UCI, 1-0

(Nov. 12, 2003) - Jordan Arias’ second-half goal ended up being the game winner as the Highlanders shut out Big West rival UC Irvine today at the UCR Soccer Stadium.

UCR broke a scoreless tie in the second period when Arias scored the game’s only goal with 16:02 remaining in the second half. Arias’ goal came by way a free kick just 25 yards out. Arias was able to get the ball just under the crossbar to give UCR the 1-0 advantage. Arias finished the game with three shots, two coming on goal.

After Arias’ goal the Highlander kept the offensive pressure on Irvine’s defense and had several opportunities to increase the lead. UCR’s best opportunity came just two minutes after Arias’ goal when freshman forward Edgar Alejo beat Irvine’s ‘keeper on the dribble, only to have his shot miss the near post by just inches.

The Anteaters best chance of scoring came in the closing minutes of the first period, as Daniel Marshall caught UCR’s netminder Josh Alexander out of position and launched a ball from 10 yards out. Alexander made a great recovery and was able to soar through the air to punch the ball just over the crossbar to prevent the goal.

The two teams were statistically even as both teas finished the game with 16 shots. Alexander finished the game with eight saves, while his counterpart Rossi finished the game with three saves.

With the win UCR improves their record to 7-9-1 overall and 3-5-1 in Big West Play, while UCI drops their record to 6-10-3 overall and 3-3-3 in Big West play.

UCR will close out the 2003 season with a game at home against Cal Poly this Saturday at the UCR Soccer Stadium. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m.

Highlanders Lose to Cal Poly, 1-0

(Nov. 15, 2003) - The UC Riverside men’s soccer team completed their 2003 season with a 1-0 loss to the Cal Poly Mustangs today at the UCR Soccer Stadium.

Cal Poly’s senior forward Scott Gellman was able to slip one past UCR’s senior ‘keeper Josh Alexander in the 95th minute to give the Mustangs the 1-0 victory.

The Highlanders had several good scoring opportunities in the second half, but were unable to score a goal. UCR’s best chance to score came in the 86th minute when freshman forward Edgar Alejo had a open look at the net from 10 yards straight out, but was unable to get the ball past Mustang ‘keeper Greg Blevins.

Alexander, who was playing in his last collegiate game for UCR, had an outstanding performance in the net allowing one goal on 13 shots and recorded three saves.

With the loss UCR completed the season with a 7-10-1 overall record, and a 3-6-1 record in the Big West. Cal Poly improves their record to 7-8-4 overall, and 3-5-2 in the Big West.

UCR's Edgar Alejo Selected to the
West Regional ODP Team, Nat Gonzalez Named Assistant Coach

(Dec. 17, 2003) - UC Riverside freshman Edgar Alejo has been named to the West Regional Olympic Development Program team, UCR Head Coach Nat Gonzalez announced Wednesday.

Alejo is one of 18 players in the U18 age group from the Western 14 states. He will be competing at an "Interregional Event " at the ARCO Olympic Training Center on Jan. 3-6, 2004. In addition, Gonzalez has been selected as an assistant coach for the ODP West team.

"This is an incredible opportunity for Edgar and gives him the chance to measure himself up with the rest of the country," Gonzalez said. "If he plays to his potential there could be some major opportunities for him down the road."

The event will feature each of the four US regional teams in competition, as well as the USA U18 and U20 National teams.

"By virtue of the National Teams being there, there will be many national team coaches and MLS coaches scouting the players," Gonzalez said.

Harrington Named First Team All-Big West

(IRVINE, Calif.) – Junior forward Luc Harrington became the first Highlander to be named to the First Team All-Big West Men’s Soccer Team as announced by the conference offices on Tuesday. Sophomore midfielder Jordan Arias earned honorable mention honors for the second year.

Harrington (Diamond Bar, CA/Diamond Bar HS) led the Highlanders with 18 points on seven goals and four assists. Last season Harrington was named Second Team All-Big West.

Arias (Palm Springs, CA/Palm Spring HS) earned honorable mention for the second straight year after recording two goals and four assists, finishing tied for second on the team with eight points.

The Highlanders finished the 2003 campaign with a 3-6-1 record in a two-way tie for fifth place in the Big West.

Highlanders Hand Out Season Awards

(Jan. 28, 2004) - The UC Riverside men’s soccer team celebrated their outstanding 2003 season with an awards luncheon on Saturday, January 24, 2003 at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Riverside CA.

UCR honored Luc Harrington, first team All-Big West, as the Most Valuable Offensive Player of the Year. Harrington has a career year recording a team best in the following categories:
Goals scored: 8
Game winning goals: 3
Shots taken: 40
Assists: 4
Total points: 20

Riverside’s Most Valuable Defensive Player of the Year was junior Ben Davies. Davies was one of the most trusted members of the Highlanders defense this season as he helped anchor down the center back position.

The Highlanders honored Matt Bush with the Most Improved Player of the Year award. Bush became a vital part of Riverside’s defense in 2003 playing in 15 games, starting in 12 of them.

UCR Head Coach Nat Gonzalez Announces Resignation

Assistant Coach Junior Gonzalez Appointed as Head Coach

(Feb. 11, 2004) -UC Riverside head men’s soccer coach Nat Gonzalez has announced his resignation, effective immediately, to pursue other coaching opportunities, UCR Director of Athletics Stan Morrison announced Wednesday. Morrison announced that Assistant Coach Junior Gonzalez had been appointed as head coach, also effective immediately.

“We are very sorry to see Nat leave, and we wish him well in his new adventures. He has done a great job in building our soccer program.” Morrison said.

“I felt it was important to act quickly and to fill the position so that our soccer program can continue to grow and improve,” Morrison added. “Junior has worked with our soccer program since its inception and I have the utmost confidence in his abilities to continue the progress that we have seen in the last three years.”

Nat Gonzalez posted a 12-36-8 record over his three years as head coach after arriving from Washington. The squad had its best-ever record at 7-10-1 in 2003, finishing in a tie for fifth in the Big West at 3-6-1.

“I am proud of what the program has accomplished in the first three years. Professionally and personally, I feel it was time to move on,” Nat Gonzalez said. “I would like to thank UCR and the athletics department for the opportunity they gave me to become UCR’s first Division I head coach of their men’s program. I wish the program the best of luck in the future.”

Othoniel “Junior” Gonzalez joined the Highlanders’ men’s soccer staff as an assistant coach in the spring of 2001. He attended UCLA where he helped the Bruins to three Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships and a 1997 NCAA National Championship. Following his graduation he went on to play with the San Diego Flash Professional Soccer team.

Gonzalez has an impressive list of coaching credentials. He served as an assistant coach with Boys’ 86s California South Olympic Development Program. He possesses a USSF “B” License and is a member of the ODP Regional Staff. Gonzalez graduated from Rancho Cucamonga High School in 1995.

Highlanders Add Seven for 2004 Season

(Mar. 25, 2004) -The UC Riverside men's soccer team has signed defender Steven Kaufman (Encinitas, CA/La Costa Canyon HS), midfielder Joey Pacheco (Moreno Valley, CA/Canyon Springs HS), defender Matthew Whitehouse (Kirkland, WA/Lake Washington) to National Letters of Intent. Also joining the team in the fall will be defender Josh Valerio (Fresno, CA/Fresno State), goalkeeper Jordan King (Malibu, CA/Malibu HS), Scott Mason (Long Beach, CA/Lipscomb University) and forward Lyle Hews (Seattle, WA/Cal State Bakersfield).

Steven Kaufman, a four-year letter winner at La Costa Canyon High School, helped his team earn a California state championship in 2000. He was named the Avocado League MVP in 2004. Kaufman has also been a member of the Olympic Development Program and was a standout player for the ’86 team.

"Steve is a gifted player who has excellent technical ability and an outstanding worth ethic," Gonzalez said. "He is also a player who has great execution from set piece positions."

Matthew Whitehouse, a four-year letter winner from Lake Washington HS, helped his team earn the Emerald City FC State Championship in 2003.

"Matt is a strong defender who can attack well from the left side,” said Gonzalez. “Matt will add further depth to our defense for next season.”

Josh Valerio, a transfer from Fresno State, will bring his Pac-10 playing experience to UCR. The coaching staff feels that the team will benefit from his valuable collegiate experience.

"Josh is a solid defender who is an excellent one-vs.-one defender,” said Gonzalez. “We are looking forward to benefiting from his experience.”

Jordan King, who plays soccer with the So Cal United Soccer club, was also a member of the ’85 Olympic Development Team.

“Jordan is a very quick and agile goalkeeper who will add strength to the team in this position,” Gonzalez said. “We are looking forward to Jordan battling it out for the starting ‘keeper position.”

Scott Mason, a transfer from Lipscomb University in Nashville Tenn., will be a welcome addition to the Highlanders defense in 2004.

“Scott is a strong and versatile player who will be a great asset to our defense,” Gonzalez said.
Lyle Hews, a transfer from Bellevue Community College, played one year of collegiate soccer at Cal State Bakersfield.

“We are pleased to add Lyle to our strong group of players here at UCR,” said Gonzalez. “His speed, strength and finishing ability will cause a lot of problems for opposing defenses.”