Friday, August 27
Riverside, CA
UC Riverside
4
vs
0
Fresno State
Freshman Leonti Leads Highlanders To Season-Opening Win Over Fresno St.
8/27/2004 3:56:00 PM | Women's Soccer
UC Riverside 4, Fresno State 0 - Box Score
Riverside—Freshman forward Jenna Leonti (Corona, CA/Santiago HS) made a spectacular collegiate debut Friday for UC Riverside, (1-0) scoring twice in the Highlanders’ season-opening 4-0 win over visiting Fresno State (0-1).
Leonti showed no jitters as she gave UCR the lead after just eight minutes. Collecting a pass from junior forward Vanessa Chanez (Placentia, CA/El Dorado HS), Leonti maneuvered past a Bulldog defender before rifling a left-footed shot into the top of the net from 15 yards out. It was just the start the Highlanders were looking for and they soon added to the tally.
With just 22 minutes gone, the Highlanders were up 2-0, thanks to two substitutes. Barely on the field two minutes, sophomore forward Amber Plumlee (La Habra, CA/Sonora HS) collected an errant backpass and, after eluding the goalie, found fellow sub, senior midfielder Kelly Hurley (Arcadia, CA/Arcadia), in front of the goal for an easy tap-in. The goal was Hurley’s seventh of her career.
Eight minutes later, the Highlanders took a 3-0 lead through a well-worked throw-in. Sophomore forward Kelly Ferguson (Irvine, CA/Irvine HS) found the head of freshman forward Kacie McElrath (San Clemente, CA/Horizon HS), who outleaped her opponent to flick the ball into the path of junior midfielder Renee Scachetti (Torrance, CA/Bishop Montgomery HS). Scachetti beat the keeper with a well-timed volley for her ninth career goal.
The Highlanders did not sit back on their 3-0 lead, however. With fifteen minutes to go, senior defender Kristi Tanaka (Torrance, CA/West Torrance HS) sent a long ball from beyond midfield that cleared the Bulldog defense. Leonti outpaced her opponents to latch on and redirect the ball into the net for her second goal of the day.
Sophomore Tawny Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) and freshman Kelley Thompson (Lake Arrowhead, CA/Rim of the World HS) combined for the shutout. Poggio stopped three shots in 78 minutes while Thompson preserved the clean sheet without having to make a save.
The Highlanders are now 3-1 in season openers. The four goals are the most in a season opener for UCR, who previously scored three in 2001 against the University of Nevada, who they next play on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Riverside—Freshman forward Jenna Leonti (Corona, CA/Santiago HS) made a spectacular collegiate debut Friday for UC Riverside, (1-0) scoring twice in the Highlanders’ season-opening 4-0 win over visiting Fresno State (0-1).
Leonti showed no jitters as she gave UCR the lead after just eight minutes. Collecting a pass from junior forward Vanessa Chanez (Placentia, CA/El Dorado HS), Leonti maneuvered past a Bulldog defender before rifling a left-footed shot into the top of the net from 15 yards out. It was just the start the Highlanders were looking for and they soon added to the tally.
With just 22 minutes gone, the Highlanders were up 2-0, thanks to two substitutes. Barely on the field two minutes, sophomore forward Amber Plumlee (La Habra, CA/Sonora HS) collected an errant backpass and, after eluding the goalie, found fellow sub, senior midfielder Kelly Hurley (Arcadia, CA/Arcadia), in front of the goal for an easy tap-in. The goal was Hurley’s seventh of her career.
Eight minutes later, the Highlanders took a 3-0 lead through a well-worked throw-in. Sophomore forward Kelly Ferguson (Irvine, CA/Irvine HS) found the head of freshman forward Kacie McElrath (San Clemente, CA/Horizon HS), who outleaped her opponent to flick the ball into the path of junior midfielder Renee Scachetti (Torrance, CA/Bishop Montgomery HS). Scachetti beat the keeper with a well-timed volley for her ninth career goal.
The Highlanders did not sit back on their 3-0 lead, however. With fifteen minutes to go, senior defender Kristi Tanaka (Torrance, CA/West Torrance HS) sent a long ball from beyond midfield that cleared the Bulldog defense. Leonti outpaced her opponents to latch on and redirect the ball into the net for her second goal of the day.
Sophomore Tawny Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) and freshman Kelley Thompson (Lake Arrowhead, CA/Rim of the World HS) combined for the shutout. Poggio stopped three shots in 78 minutes while Thompson preserved the clean sheet without having to make a save.
The Highlanders are now 3-1 in season openers. The four goals are the most in a season opener for UCR, who previously scored three in 2001 against the University of Nevada, who they next play on Sunday at 1 p.m.
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