2001 Archives

Two Highlanders Named to All-Big West Teams
(Nov. 13, 2001) - The UC Riverside Highlanders capped off their first year of Division I competition by placing two players on the All-Big West teams, as voted on by the coaches.

Freshman defender Kristi Tanaka was named to the second team, and freshman midfielder Kelly Hurley received honorable mention.

The pair were key to the Highlander defense this season, Hurley using her speed in the midfield to help control play and Tanaka using her strong leg to clear balls out of the defensive zone. Offensively, Hurley finished the season with one goal, while Tanaka had an assist.

UCR Finishes Season with 3-0 Loss to USD
(Nov. 10, 2001) - San Diego senior forward Stephanie Barnier scored the game-winning goal in the 34th minute Saturday to lead the University of San Diego to a 3-0 win over the UC Riverside Highlanders on Saturday.

Barnier scored thanks to an assist by Gina Poltl, who had two assists on the night. Junior Brenna Mullen would score twice in the second half to put Riverside away.

The Highlanders finish the season at 5-12 overall and 1-8 in the Big West.

Highlanders Fall to Cal State Fullerton, 4-0
(Nov. 9, 2001) - The injury-ravaged UC Riverside Highlanders women's soccer team suffered their third loss in a row with a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Cal State Fullerton in their home finale at the UCR Lower Fields on Friday.

The Titans' Jenny Mescher recorded a hat trick and Michelle Bannister had a goal and assist. Kim Houg also had a pair of assists.

The Titans took a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute as Bannister took a pass from Houg and put it past Katie Blank for 1-0 lead. Twelve minutes later Mescher went to work, dribbling along the left side and beating the Highlander defense for her first goal of the afternoon.

The match was tied through the intermission, and Mescher tallied for the second time in the 57th minute off a pass from Houg. The final score came in the 70th minute off a give and go from Bannister.

The Titans (13-6-0, 8-1-0), who have already clinched the Big West championship, outshot the Highlanders 19-12. Ten different Highlanders (5-11, 1-8) took cracks at the net. Blank had five saves for the Highlanders, while Titan keeper Laura Janke had seven saves.

Fullerton forward Kellie Cox was injured when she fell and hit her head against a fence pole 13 minutes into the match. She was diagnosed with a concussion and required some stitches to close a cut on her head.

Cal Poly Beats UC Riverside
(Nov. 4, 2001) - Carolyn Schifftner scored with less than three minutes to play, lifting Cal Poly to a 1-0 victory over UC Riverside (5-10, 1-7) in a Big West Conference women's soccer match Sunday afternoon in Mustang Stadium.

Schifftner took a pass from Erin Martin and dribbled about 20 yards before kicking the ball into the net from about 12 yards out on the right side with 2:12 to play in regulation. It was Schifftner's first goal of the season and the fourth of her four-year Cal Poly career.

Cal Poly (7-8-4, 4-2-2) outshot UC Riverside 19-6. Mustang goalie Greta Shirdon had to make just two saves for her fifth shutout of the season. UC Riverside goalkeeper Katie Blank made 11 saves.

Gauchos Beat Highlanders, 2-1
(Nov. 2, 2001) - UC Santa Barbara's Jennifer Borcich scored a pair of goals, including one in the 89th minute, to give the Gauchos a 2-1 win over the visiting Highlanders at Harder Stadium in Goleta Friday.

UCR forward Tracy Schuster gave UCR (5-9, 1-6) a 1-0 lead in the 38th minute, but two minutes later Borcich scored the tying goal. As the game seemed headed for overtime, Erica Perota fired a pass to Borcich who scored the go ahead goal. UCSB is now 10-6-1 and 6-1-0 in the Big West.

UCR Snaps Losing Streak With 2-0 Win Over Idaho State
(Oct. 26, 2001) - The UC Riverside Highlanders snapped a two-game losing streak and continued their dominance over the state of Idaho with a 2-0 win over visiting Idaho State University at the UCR Lower Fields Friday.

With the non-conference win the Highlanders moved to 5-8 on the season. ISU is now 7-5-2.

Forward Jill Intarachote opened the scoring with her third goal of the year in the 64th minute when she received a corner by defender Vicky Tissler at the far post and sent it home for her third goal of the year and a 1-0 Highlander lead.

The Highlanders put the game away in the 73rd minute when forward Courtney Burns picked off an errant pass up the middle and ran it back, scoring from about eight yards out.

The Highlanders held the offensive edge in the first half, putting 13 shots on goal. Idaho State peppered UCR keeper Katie Blank from outside, hitting a crossbar on one shot. In all, the Highlanders outshot the Bengals 21-9 on the match. Idaho 'keeper Shannon Boyle recorded seven saves on the match, while Blank had five in her third career collegiate shutout.

The Highlanders swept their matches against teams from Idaho, defeating Idaho on October 14 in double OT, 1-0.

LBSU Defeats UCR, 4-0
(Oct. 21, 2001) - Long Beach State University cruised to a 4-0 victory over an injury ravaged UCR Highlander squad at the UC Riverside Lower Fields Sunday. With the win, LBSU moved to 4-8-1 overall and 3-2 in conference, while UCR fell to 4-8 overall and 1-5 in conference.

Long Beach opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Kim Stempkowski's blast from the top of the box was redirected by Abie Curry from about eight yards out, past goalkeeper UCR Katie Blank.

They scored again in the 17th minute when Allison Wiegand collected a 50-50 ball in the box and put it to the far post, beating Blank.

Curry struck again in the 67th minute in the second half, beating the Highlander defense on a run down the middle, then putting it past Blank, who had come out to contest the shot.

Long Beach put the finishing touch on the win in the 81st minute as Kim Stempkowski blasted a shot from 40 yards out past Blank.

LBSU outshot the Highlanders 21-7. Blank made six saves for the Highlanders. For the 49ers, starter Jihan Elgazzar made two saves in 45 minutes of play in the first half and Hannah Cochrun had a pair of saves in the second half.

The Highlanders were without starting midfielders Angela Reling and Katie Camerlengo, both of whom were out with leg injuries..

Anteaters Squeak by Highlanders, 1-0
(Oct. 19, 2001) - UC Irvine Anteaters' forward Alyson Spencer's header off a corner kick from midfielder Janelle Doyle in the 33rd minute made the difference as the visitors defeated the host UC Riverside Highlanders, 1-0 at the UCR Lower Fields Friday.

Doyle powered the kick to the far post and Spencer put it just to the right of diving UCR goalkeeper Katie Blank.

UC Irvine outshot the Highlanders 20-9 in the match, peppering Blank with long range shots. Hayley McNallan led all players with seven shots, four on goal. Caroline Kabe added four shots. Blank recorded a total of nine saves on the afternoon.

The Highlanders had a few good scoring opportunities and turned the pressure up in the final 10 minutes of the match. Forward Jessica Armel led the Highlanders with three shots.

UC Irvine's Sarah Swancutt earned the win, recording four saves.

Highlanders Defeat Idaho in 2 OT, 1-0

(Oct. 14, 2001) - The UC Riverside women's soccer team won its first-ever Big West match, defeating the host University of Idaho Vandals, 1-0, in double overtime at Guy Wicks Field in Moscow, ID Sunday.

Freshman Danica Pommerenck scored the game winner in the 111th minute. The goal, her second of the season, came when Vandal goalkeeper Tricia Haynes' goal kick was intercepted by the Highlanders. Haynes was caught too far out and Pommerenck blasted the shot for the game winner.

Idaho (6-5-3) outshot the Highlanders (4-6, 1-3) 25-12, but couldn't find the back of the net. UCR goalkeeper Katie Blank recorded her second solo shutout of the year, recording 13 saves, including six in the first overtime period.

Utah State Defeats UCR

(Oct. 12, 2001) - The UC Riverside Highlander women's soccer team fell to 3-6 overall and 0-3 in the Big West with a 3-0 loss at Utah State Friday.

The Aggies' Heather Arnell scored a pair of goals to help Utah State win its first Big West contest. The Aggies are now 4-6-1 overall and 1-2 in conference.

Utah State outshot the Highlanders 24-4 and did not allow UCR a shot in the second half. UCR's Kristin Cocks recorded five saves on the afternoon for UCR.

Matadors Hold on to Beat Highlanders, 2-1

(Oct. 7, 2001) - Cal State Northridge's Erin Broadwell scored twice in the first 20 minutes and the Matadors made the lead stand up as they defeated the UC Riverside Highlanders, 2-1 at the San Bernardino Blast Soccer Complex on Sunday.

The loss dropped the Highlanders to 3-5, 0-2 in the Big West. Northridge is now 7-2-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big West.

Broadwell opened the scoring in the 12th minute on a contested goal. Following a free kick by the Matadors that was stopped by UCR goalkeeper Katie Blank, Broadwell got a rebound and kicked it again. Blank again made the save, but Broadwell flicked at the ball a third time just before the pair collided. There was confusion as it appeared the ball was knocked over the goal line by Broadwell's arm, but the goal counted and CSUN took a 1-0 lead.

Broadwell struck again in the 21st minute, leaving no doubt as she took a cross from Joanna Parker and blasted it from about 20 yards out past Blank for a 2-0 lead.

Blank made three saves before junior Kristin Cocks replaced her in the 27th minute. The junior made seven saves in the final 63 minutes.

UCR had several scoring opportunities late in the game, including a play where forward Courtney Burns' shot hit the far post and bounced out. The Highlanders got on the board in the 87th minute as Jessica Armel was on the receiving end of a booming serve by Kristi Tanaka. Armel deked keeper Jenny Willemse and put the shot home to cut the score to 2-1, but the Highlanders could get no closer.

UCR was outshot by a margin of 19-9.

Highlanders Lose to Tigers in OT, 2-1

(Oct. 5, 2001) - Gabby Oliveras' goal with just over seven minutes remaining in the second overtime gave the University of Pacific Tigers a hard-fought 2-1 over the UC Riverside Highlanders at the San Bernardino Blast Soccer Complex Friday. The match was the Big West opener for both schools.

In the 113th minute of the match, Oliveras collected a loose ball about 35 yards out and went one-on-one with defender Kristi Tanaka. Tanaka slipped trying to make a play on the ball and Oliveras went past her, then shot the ball past onrushing goaltender Katie Blank, who was coming out to contest the shot.

The loss was a heartbreaker for the Highlanders (3-4, 0-1), who took a 1-0 lead in the 48th minute as freshman Kelly Hurley chipped a lob shot that goalkeeper Megan Pickering couldn't handle cleanly, resulting in Hurley's first goal of the season. The Tigers entered the match with the second best goals against average in the conference.

The Tigers (8-2, 1-0) tied the match in the 54th minute as Yvonne Bailey found the ball off a Highlander defender and put it high and to the right of Blank, who had been guarding the left post.

The Tigers outshot the Highlanders 17-12 in the match and 5-1 in the overtime period. Oliveras led the Tigers with four shots, three on goal.

Blank recorded seven saves for the Highlanders and Pickering had seven for the Tigers. The match had a total 44 fouls called, 28 on the Highlanders.

UCR Defeats Cowgirls, 2-1

(Sept. 30, 2001) - The UC Riverside Highlanders broke a three-match scoreless streak in the first minute of play and defeated the visiting University of Wyoming Cowgirls, 2-1, at the San Bernardino Blast Soccer Complex Sunday.

Freshman defender Danica Pommerenck led the Highlanders (3-3) with a goal and an assist.

The Highlanders got started quickly as Pommerenck scored just 43 seconds into the game knocking home a rebound of a shot by sophomore midfielder Kerri Fahres that goalkeeper Sarah Kuyper had blocked.

Wyoming answered back in the sixth minute as forward Sancy Florquist blasted a shot from about 20 yards out past UCR keeper Katie Blank to tie the match at 1-1.

The score remained tied until the 68th minute when freshman forward Jill Intarachote scored her second goal of the season, taking a short cross from Pommerenck on the right side, then sending it left footed towards the upper left far post.

The game was a seesaw affair from there as both teams had chances. Wyoming had a solid offensive attack in the waning minutes of the game but was unable to convert.

The Highlanders outshot the Cowgirls, 21-12, including a 13-4 margin in the second half. Blank made six saves for the Highlanders, while Kuyper had seven for Wyoming (2-5-1).

The game was played in extremely warm and windy conditions.

USF Defeats Highlanders, 4-0

(Sept. 27, 2001) - UC Riverside surrendered a pair of goals to junior midfielder Stacey Caro and struggled against intense offensive pressure by the University of San Francisco in a 4-0 loss at San Francisco Thursday.

The Dons outshot the Highlanders 21-6 overall and 11-4 in the first half. Caro scored her first goal of the season in the 40th minute to break a scoreless deadlock. USF added three second period goals, the first coming in the 54th minute as junior midfielder Jodie Tanga sent a shot from the deep right corner.

Caro got her second goal in the 58th minute on a point blank shot off a pass by sophomore forward Rebecca Shook. Junior defender Katie Mingst added the final tally in the 73rd minute, giving the Dons' (3-2) a 4-0 advantage.

Sophomore goalkeeper Stephanie Beall recorded five saves for the Dons and earned her third shutout of her career. All three UCR goalkeepers saw time, although the freshman goalkeeper Natalie Juarez suffered a broken tibia and will out indefinitely.

Highlanders Have Chances, But Lose to Hornets 1-0

(Sept. 25, 2001) - Sacramento State midfielder Katie DeClercq scored a goal in the 23rd minute and sophomore goalkeeper Amy Seely recorded her second shutout of the season as the Hornets defeated the UC Riverside Highlanders, 1-0, Tuesday in Sacramento.

UCR fell to 2-2 on the season, suffering their second consecutive shutout loss. The Hornets are now 2-4.

Freshman Natalie Juarez got her first start in goal for UCR and made four saves. DeClercq scored the games only tally when she took a pass from Lisa Wrightsman and beat Juarez with a shot that just eluded her outstreatched hands.

UCR had several chances throughout the game and outshot Sacramento State by a margin of 19-9, pounding 12 shots in the final 45 minutes, but could never put the ball away. The Highlanders also had three shots that hit the post and one open net opportunity that was miss hit. Freshman forward Jessica Armel led the Highlanders with four shots and freshman Danica Pommerenck had three.

San Diego State Shuts Out Highlander Women, 2-0

(Sept. 18, 2001) - San Diego State University scored on their first two shots on goal and never looked back as they defeated the UC Riverside Highlanders 2-0 at the San Bernardino Blast Soccer Complex on Tuesday.

The loss dropped the Highlanders to 2-1 on the season, while SDSU improved to 4-3.

San Diego's Kim Castellanos opened the scoring in the seventh minute as she took a pass from Danielle Small, the deked goaltender Katie Blank into coming out of the box and diving for the ball. Castellanos dribbled around the fallen Blank and knocked the shot home for a goal.

The Aztecs Fay DeLeon accounted for the second goal, converting a free kick inside the left post in the 24th minute.

The Highlanders had a pair of good scoring opportunities in the first half with loose balls in the box, but were unable to convert either opportunity.

In the second half the Highlanders turned on the pressure and improved their attack, but were unable to put the ball past Linnea Quinones, who made three saves.

Highlanders Cruise 6-0 Over Southern Utah

(Sept. 7, 2001) - Freshman forward Courtney Burns scored a pair of goals and added an assist as the UC Riverside Highlanders cruised to a 6-0 win over visiting Southern Utah University at the San Bernardino Blast Soccer Complex Friday.

The win moved the Highlanders to 2-0 on the season, while the Thunderbirds fell to 0-3. The Highlanders outshot the Thunderbirds 22-3 and held them shotless in the first 45 minutes.

Freshman forward Jessica Armel scored the first goal, her third of the season, just 50 seconds in to the match following a flurry in front of the net. Burns and freshman forward Jackie Shaffer recorded assists.

In the 14th minute, midfielder Jill Intarachote scored her first goal of the season, shooting far post off of a pass by Armel. UCR capped the first half scoring in the 28th minute as freshman midfielder Kerri Fahres collected a 50/50 ball and put it past goalkeeper Megan Flowers.

Burns scored her first goal just over two minutes into the second half as freshman midfielder Courtney Dain fed a streaking Burns, who beat the goalkeeper on the far side. Three minutes later Shaffer received a cross from freshman midfielder Kim Zimmerman and shot it home to make it 5-0.

Burns capped the scoring in the 52nd minute, taking a pass from Dain, then chipping the ball over Flowers for the sixth and final goal.

UCR freshman goalkeeper Katie Blank played the first 45 minutes of the match and did not face a shot. Freshman backup Natalie Juarez and junior Kristin Cocks split the second half and each recorded a save. Flowers had nine saves in her 90 minutes.

Armel Named Big West Player of the Week

(Sept. 3, 2001) - Freshman forward Jessica Armel, who scored a pair of goals in helping the Highlanders to their first-ever NCAA Division I victory Sunday was named Big West Player of the Week for the week of September 3.

Armel, a resident of Alta Loma, CA who graduated from St. Lucy's Priory HS, scored the first goal in program history in the 21st minute against Nevada. Deep in the Nevada zone, UCR midfielder Kerri Fahres' pass was partially deflected by a Wolf Pack defender, but landed right at the feet of Armel, who flicked it over the head of goalkeeper Jessica Gregg.

Armel struck again in the 50th minute, taking a cross from midfielder Jill Intarachote and putting it in the back of the net.

In all, Armel had a game-high eight shots, five on goal.

UC Riverside Wins Women's Soccer Debut, 3-0 over Nevada

(Sept. 2, 2001) - Freshman forward Jessica Armel scored a pair of goals, helping the UC Riverside women's soccer team get off to a smashing debut, defeating the University of Nevada 3-0 at the San Bernardino Blast Soccer Complex Sunday.

The win came in the Highlanders' first-ever women's intercollegiate soccer match. Armel scored the first goal in program history in the 21st minute. Deep in the Nevada zone, UCR midfielder Kerri Fahres' pass was partially deflected by a Wolf Pack defender, but landed right at the feet of Armel, who flicked it over the head of goalkeeper Jessica Gregg.

Armel struck again in the 50th minute, taking a cross from midfielder Jill Intarachote and putting it past new Nevada (0-2) keeper Janet Wildemuth, who had come in at the start of the second period.

UCR (1-0) kept up the intensity throughout the second half and put the final nail in the Wolf Pack coffin with just under two minutes remaining as defender Vicky Tissler fed a cross to forward Jackie Shaffer, who shot far post and put it past Wildemuth.

In all, the Highlanders outshot Nevada, 23-5. Gregg made four saves and Wildemuth seven. UCR goalkeeper Katie Blank did not record a save on the afternoon and was never truly tested.

"I was impressed with the intensity that the team played with in their first game," UCR Head Coach Veronica O'Brien said. "I'm proud of them, but we still have a lot of work to do."