2-6-1, 0-2-0
UC Riverside
6-4-1, 1-0-1
Cal Poly Men's Soccer on Downside of 1-0 Decision at UC Riverside
10/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
RIVERSIDE – A 51st-minue UC Riverside strike from a saved penalty by junior goalkeeper Eric Kam stood as the margin Saturday evening as the Cal Poly men's soccer program dropped a 1-0 decision to the Highlanders at RSide Soccer Stadium.
The initial penalty save was the only one Kam (above) was called on to make as the Mustangs (2-6-1, 0-2-0) outshot UC Riverside (6-4-1, 1-0-1), 10-8, and placed half their shot on target, but fell to the Highlanders for just the second time in the last 11 meetings.
Cal Poly kept UC Riverside to just one shot attempt during the opening 33 minutes, but the Mustangs failed to challenge UC Riverside goalkeeper Vincent Morales until senior forward Justin Dhillon saw a 27th-minute free kick parried away.
With the match scoreless at halftime, Dhillon was turned away once more in the 51st minute.
Just 34 seconds later, however, UC Riverside found the game's only goal after producing its only two shots on target without any time having elapsed. With a Highlander adjudicated to have been hauled down attacking on the left side of the penalty area, UC Riverside forward Dylan Smith stepped to the spot. Smith's penalty was stopped by Kam, but the ball rebounded back out Smith who fired into the top left corner of the Mustang net to provide UC Riverside the 1-0 lead.
The Mustangs enjoyed multiple opportunities to equalize with freshman midfielder Christian Enriquez placing a shot on target in the 54th minute before freshman forward Kenneth Higgins was turned away in the 66th and junior forward Adam Olsen in the 85th.
Cal Poly's best chance to deadlock the game late came with 42 seconds remaining, but Dhillon whistled a 28-yard free kick wide of the UC Riverside goal.
Cal Poly returns home to Alex G. Spanos Stadium to open a four-match home stand on Thursday, Oct. 6 versus CSUN. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Team Stats
Smith, Dylan (2)
Rebound off saved penalty kick
50:45
