5-7-1 (0-2-0BWC)
UC Riverside
5-7-2 (2-0-0BWC)
Cal Poly Women's Soccer Falls to UC Riverside on Second-Half Goal, 1-0
10/1/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — UC Riverside's Darielle O'Brien scored on a 53rd-minute header on Sunday, and the Highlander women's soccer team made the goal stand up for a Big West Conference win at Cal Poly, 1-0 in Alex G. Spanos Stadium.
Play was roughly even for a majority of the afternoon, with both sides taking 15 shots, while UCR — coming off a 4-1 road victory over UC Santa Barbara on Friday night — held a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Cal Poly's first shot on goal came from junior Chelsea Barry 20 minutes in, but Annie Bailey snared the save.
The Mustangs created a trio of chances in the 24th minute, as sophomore Lexi Marietti had a shot stopped by the Highlander back line and freshman Heather Huene followed with a blocked shot off the rebound before junior Kelly Kessloff forced another save by Bailey.
Megan Abutin (32' and 37') also placed shots on target before the break, and Marietti again tested Bailey in the 51st minute.
Then in the 53rd, UC Riverside (5-7-2, 2-0-0 for a first-place 6 points in the conference table) lined up a free kick opportunity about 5 yards above the penalty area, 10 yards in from the left touchline. Miah Conde launched a pass to the front of the goal, where O'Brien soared in to head the ball into the top-left back of the net for the game-winner.
Mustang sophomore Jessica Johnson almost scored with a straightahead strike in the 86th minute, but Bailey punched the ball over the crossbar.
Sophomore goalkeeper Sophia Brown made saves in the seventh, 17th, 40th, 52nd and 90th minutes.
Cal Poly senior midfielder Emily Hansen, who played all 90 minutes, made her 66th career start, moving to No. 12 in school history.
The Mustangs (5-7-1, 0-2-0) will continue Big West play at UC Davis at 4 p.m. Thursday, before traveling to CSUN for a 1 p.m. kickoff on Sunday, Oct. 8.
Photo © Alexander Bohlen
Team Stats
O'Brien, Darielle (2)
Assisted By: Conde, Miah
Free kick from 25 yards on left side to
52:28
