Friday, October 7
Riverside, CA
UC Riverside
2
vs
1
Pacific
Highlanders Tame Tigers 2-1, Improve To 2-0 In Conference Play
10/7/2005 4:43:00 PM | Women's Soccer
UC Riverside 2, Pacific 1 - Box Score
Riverside—UC Riverside scored two goals in the first half and held on late for a 2-1 Big West Conference victory over University of the Pacific in front of 150 fans Friday afternoon at the UCR Soccer Stadium. The win was the Highlanders’ season-high fourth in a row as they improve to 8-3-1, 2-0-0 on the year. Pacific falls to 7-5-1, 0-2-0.
The game could not have started any better as UCR scored on its first two shots, both the result of nifty play down the right flank. Nine minutes in, senior midfielder Renee Scachetti fed a through-ball to sophomore forward Jenna Leonti near the end line. Leonti got her leg around it and sent a cross into the box, where senior forward Vanessa Chanez volleyed home her third goal of the season from six yards out. It was Chanez’s 13th career goal.
Six minutes later, UCR made it 2-0 through a similar move. Leonti again bypassed the defense to reach the touchline, crossing into the penalty area. Scachetti rose above her defender to power a header into the top corner at 15:04. The goal increased her school-record tally to ten on the season and was her 26th career strike.
UCR had complete control in the first half as Pacific continually attempted shots from outside the penalty area. One of those shots almost pulled the Tigers back, as Jennifer Smiley’s 20-yard attempt after 20 minutes was pushed onto the crossbar by UCR junior goalkeeper Tawny Poggio.
With the wind at their backs in the second half, the Tigers pushed forward and it took several crucial saves from Poggio to keep the Highlanders in the lead. In the 65th minute, UOP’s Bunny Dickson found herself in a one-on-one with Poggio but the UCR goalie smothered the attacker’s attempt. Ten minutes later, Nicci Leon rattled the UCR crossbar with a free kick from 25 yards.
Pacific provided for a frantic final few minutes by pulling a goal back at 84:32. Natalie McCrackin collected a loose ball and fired a left-footed shot from 22 yards that caromed off the crossbar and in.
UOP had two more chances in the final minute but again Poggio proved the victor. Carmen Padilla found herself unmarked in the penalty area but Poggio saved her point-blank shot. Seconds later, the goalie dove low to her right to turn away a shot by Leon.
Poggio finished the game with seven saves for UCR. Laura Guerin made no saves in the first 45 minutes for UOP while Jaime Souza stopped two shots in the second half.
The victory was the Highlanders’ first ever against the Tigers after two ties and two losses. At 2-0, UCR is off to its best conference start in program history.
Riverside—UC Riverside scored two goals in the first half and held on late for a 2-1 Big West Conference victory over University of the Pacific in front of 150 fans Friday afternoon at the UCR Soccer Stadium. The win was the Highlanders’ season-high fourth in a row as they improve to 8-3-1, 2-0-0 on the year. Pacific falls to 7-5-1, 0-2-0.
The game could not have started any better as UCR scored on its first two shots, both the result of nifty play down the right flank. Nine minutes in, senior midfielder Renee Scachetti fed a through-ball to sophomore forward Jenna Leonti near the end line. Leonti got her leg around it and sent a cross into the box, where senior forward Vanessa Chanez volleyed home her third goal of the season from six yards out. It was Chanez’s 13th career goal.
Six minutes later, UCR made it 2-0 through a similar move. Leonti again bypassed the defense to reach the touchline, crossing into the penalty area. Scachetti rose above her defender to power a header into the top corner at 15:04. The goal increased her school-record tally to ten on the season and was her 26th career strike.
UCR had complete control in the first half as Pacific continually attempted shots from outside the penalty area. One of those shots almost pulled the Tigers back, as Jennifer Smiley’s 20-yard attempt after 20 minutes was pushed onto the crossbar by UCR junior goalkeeper Tawny Poggio.
With the wind at their backs in the second half, the Tigers pushed forward and it took several crucial saves from Poggio to keep the Highlanders in the lead. In the 65th minute, UOP’s Bunny Dickson found herself in a one-on-one with Poggio but the UCR goalie smothered the attacker’s attempt. Ten minutes later, Nicci Leon rattled the UCR crossbar with a free kick from 25 yards.
Pacific provided for a frantic final few minutes by pulling a goal back at 84:32. Natalie McCrackin collected a loose ball and fired a left-footed shot from 22 yards that caromed off the crossbar and in.
UOP had two more chances in the final minute but again Poggio proved the victor. Carmen Padilla found herself unmarked in the penalty area but Poggio saved her point-blank shot. Seconds later, the goalie dove low to her right to turn away a shot by Leon.
Poggio finished the game with seven saves for UCR. Laura Guerin made no saves in the first 45 minutes for UOP while Jaime Souza stopped two shots in the second half.
The victory was the Highlanders’ first ever against the Tigers after two ties and two losses. At 2-0, UCR is off to its best conference start in program history.
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