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(August 27, 2004) - 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.
(Aug. 29, 2004) –
UCR (2-0) maintained its perfect start to the 2004 season,
recording a 6-0 victory over
visiting University of Nevada (0-2) today at the UCR Soccer
Stadium. For the second straight game, it was the freshmen
who led the way, with rookie forwards Brittany Coulter (Long
Beach, CA) and Kacie McElrath (San Clemente, CA) each netting
two goals.
Sophomore forward Amber
Plumlee (La Habra, CA) got the Highlanders off to the perfect
start, scoring just 1:51 into the game. Plumlee collected
a loose ball just outside the penalty box and swiftly placed
a left-footed shot into the far corner for her first goal
of the year.
Freshman forward Jenna Leonti
(Corona, CA) made it 2-0 twelve minutes later, latching on
to a punt from sophomore goalkeeper Tawny Poggio (Santa Ana,
CA). Junior forward Vanessa Chanez (Placentira, CA) flicked
the ball into Leonti’s path and the freshman hit the
target for her third goal in two games.
Coulter grabbed her first
goal in the 29th minute to give the Highlanders a 3-0 lead.
Junior defender Erin Fahres (Alta Loma, CA) sent Coulter into
the corner, where she lofted the ball over the Wolfpack goalie
from an almost impossible angle. Nine minutes later, UCR was
up 4-0 thanks to McElrath, who sidestepped the goalie and
slotted home a loose ball.
Coulter added her second
just before halftime, with McElrath playing provider. A neat
one-touch gave Coulter the space to find the back of the net
and send UCR into the break with an insurmountable 5-0 lead.
The second half was a fairly subdued affair, with neither
team creating many chances. McElrath converted her second
goal three minutes from time, popping up in the right spot
in the box to fire home. Junior forwards Ashlee Stephens (Temecula,
CA) and Lisa Jensen (San Dimas, CA) provided the assists.
In addition to her assist
in the first half, Poggio made three saves for her second
shared shutout. Senior Katie Blank (Chino Hills, CA) relieved
Poggio in the 57th minute and stopped one shot to preserve
the win.
UCR has put together back-to-back shutouts to open the season
for the second time in school history. The first time was
in the 2001 season, when the Highlanders defeated Nevada 3-0
and Southern Utah 6-0. UCR last held consecutive opponents
scoreless Oct. 24 and 26, 2003, when they blanked Idaho 2-0
and drew with Utah State 0-0.
The Highlanders travel
to San Diego next weekend to take on two East Coast opponents.
On Friday, they face Navy at 1 p.m. They finish the road trip
with an 11 a.m. match on Sunday against Davidson College.
(Sept. 3, 2004) –
Freshman forward Jenna Leonti's 61st minute goal gave UCR
a 1-0 victory over Navy (0-2-1) today in San Diego. The
Highlanders maintained their perfect 3-0 start and have yet
to concede a goal.
Despite a 17-3 advantage
in shots, the Highlanders were unable to breach the Mids'
defense until Leonti (Corona, CA/Santiago HS) broke a scoreless
tie sixteen minutes after halftime. Collecting a pass from
junior forward Vanessa Chanez (Placentia, CA/El Dorado HS),
Leonti was able to fire past Navy goalie Kim Bonafede from
near the right post. The goal was Leonti's team-leading fourth
of the year and marked the third straight game in which the
freshman had found the net. Chanez supplied her team-leading
third assist.
Sophomore goalkeeper Tawny
Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) made one save for her
first solo shutout and ran her scoreless minutes streak to
224:46.
UCR is off to the first
3-0 start in school history. The three consecutive shutouts
are the first since the 2002 season, when the Highlanders
posted five straight.
UCR next faces Davidson
College on Sunday in San Diego. Kick-off is at 11:00 a.m.
(Sept. 5, 2004) –
UCR maintained its flawless start to the 2004 campaign, defeating
Davidson College 3-0 Sunday in San Diego. The Highlanders
improved their record to 4-0 and have yet to concede a goal.
Whereas the freshmen class
had been providing the firepower in UCR's first three games,
it was the veterans who shone on Sunday. Juniors Ashlee Stephens
(Temecula, CA/Chaparral HS), Renee Scachetti (Torrance, CA/Bishop
Montgomery HS), and Vanessa Chanez (Placentia, CA/El Dorado
HS) each found the net with Scachetti and Stephens also picking
up assists on the day.
Stephens opened the scoring
after 38 minutes. Scachetti provided a pass and Stephens slotted
into the right corner from eight yards out on the left side.
Stephens returned the favor 13 minutes after halftime, finding
Scachetti open in the box for her second goal of the young
season.
Chanez put the finishing
touches on an impressive Highlander performance ten minutes
from time. Collecting the ball from freshman forward Kacie
McElrath (Palm Desert, CA/Horizon HS), Chanez delicately chipped
the Davidson goalie from 12 yards out.
Sophomore goalie Tawny Poggio
(Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) stopped two shots for her second
consecutive solo shutout.
The Highlanders have started
the season at 4-0 for the first time in school history. The
four shutouts are one shy of the school record for most consecutive
since the 2002 season. UCR hosts the Highlander Classic this
weekend, playing UC Davis at 3 p.m. Friday and Eastern Washington
at 1 p.m. Sunday.
(Sept. 10, 2004) –
UCR fought back from a 1-0 deficit
in the second half, firing two goals in the final 16 minutes
for a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over UC Davis Friday in
the Highlander Classic. Junior forward Lisa Jensen (San Dimas,
CA/Bonita HS) got the game winner with five minutes remaining.
“It was a well-fought
game and our team showed a lot of character over the whole
90 minutes,” Head Coach Veronica O’Brien said.
“That is what got us this successful result.”
The two teams were evenly
matched over the first 45 minutes, with the Highlanders holding
a 5-2 edge on shots. Both teams hit the post early but neither
team could convert in the first half, however, as the game
remained scoreless.
The Aggies opened the scoring
at the 71 minute mark, as senior midfielder Tristan Ngoon
claimed her first goal of the year. Ngoon was the quickest
to react in a goal-box scramble, redirecting the ball past
UCR’s Tawny Poggio. The goal was the first conceded
by the Highlanders this season but only served to rile them
up.
Barely three minutes after
falling behind for the first time this season, UCR was back
on level terms through a determined effort from junior forward
Ashlee Stephens (Temecula, CA/Chaparral HS). Stephens sprinted
past two defenders on the left flank and crossed to a waiting
Amber Plumlee (Costa Mesa, CA/Mater Dei HS). The sophomore
forward sidestepped a defender and slammed the ball home for
her second goal of the year.
Knotted at one-all, the
Highlanders were not content to play for the tie. UCR pushed
forward and was rewarded five minutes from time when freshman
forward Jenna Leonti’s (Corona, CA/Santiago HS) hustle
on the right kept the ball in play. Leonti found Jensen at
the edge of the 18-yard box and the junior did not hesitate,
rocketing a right-footed shot into the top of the net for
the game-winner. It was Jensen’s first goal of the year.
Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater
Dei HS) made two saves in gaining her fifth win of the year.
Her counterpart, junior Krystyn Lizak, stopped five for UC
Davis.
The win maintained the Highlanders’
perfect 5-0 start, the best in school history. UCR goes for
number six at 1 pm on Sunday against Eastern Washington in
the finale of the Highlander Classic. Davis takes on UTEP
at 10:30 a.m. Sunday in the other match.
(Sept. 10, 2004) –
UTEP won the opening game of the 2004
Highlander Classic Friday, edging past Eastern Washington
1-0. The Miners improve to 4-1 while the Eagles drop to 2-3.
A 33rd-minute goal from
freshman forward Jami Tullius was all that separated the sides.
UTEP won a free kick inside the Eagle half and senior defender
Heather Clark lofted the ball into the penalty box. It cleared
everyone, bounced, and Tullius headed it past onrushing Eagle
goalie Tiera Como for her fifth goal of the season.
Despite outshooting the
Eagles 15-5, the Miners could not capitalize on any more chances.
Como stopped eight shots for EWU while freshman goalie Brittany
Popoff made four saves in the shutout win.
UTEP will play UC Davis
on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. in game three of the tournament while
Eastern Washington takes on the hosts at 1 p.m. UC Davis and
UCR play in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader
at 3 p.m.
(Sept. 12, 2004) –
UCR made two first half goals stand up as the
Highlanders registered a 2-1 win over Eastern Washington University
Sunday at the UCR Soccer Stadium. The win improves UCR’s
record to a school-record 6-0.
UCR struck first, scoring
8:56 into the game. Sophomore defender Shayna Hufford (Alta
Loma, CA/Alta Loma HS) held position in the attacking left
corner and, finding space, slotted a pass back to senior midfielder
Angela Reling (Costa Mesa, CA/Mater Dei HS). Reling delivered
a first-time cross into the box, where freshman forward Kacie
McElrath (Palm Desert, CA/Horizon HS) got a foot in to redirect
the ball into the lower left corner. For McElrath, it was
her third goal of the season and tied her for the team lead
with 9 points.
The Highlanders continued
to push forward in the first half, looking for a second goal.
Junior forward Ashlee Stephens (Temecula, CA/Chaparral HS)
nearly made it two, volleying off the cross-bar. Stephens
got her goal, however, in the 42nd minute. The Highlanders
won a free kick outside the Eagle penalty box, near the right
corner. Junior midfielder Renee Scachetti (Torrance, CA/Bishop
Montgomery HS) played a brilliant ball in and Stephens sent
a powerful header into the back of the net.
Leading 2-0, UCR seemed
to be cruising. The Eagles had other ideas, though, snatching
a goal back just after halftime. Freshman forward Amber Luce
scored in the 52nd minute from ten yards out with the assist
going to senior forward Emily Squires.
Both teams continued to
battle throughout the second half. UCR had two chances to
extend its lead but shots from freshmen forwards Amber Plumlee
(La Habra, CA/Sonora HS) and Brittany Coulter (Long Beach,
CA/Valley Christian HS) went agonizingly wide.
Sophomore goalie Tawny Poggio
(Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) played the first half, gaining
the win by not allowing a goal and making one save. Senior
Katie Blank (Chino Hills, CA/St. Lucy’s Priory) stopped
one shot in the second half. Eastern Washington’s sophomore
goalie Tiera Como took the loss without making any saves.
At 6-0, UCR is off to the
best start in program history. The Highlanders also tied the
school record for most consecutive wins. Riverside does not
play again until September 21, when the Highlanders travel
to the University of San Diego at 7 p.m. Eastern Washington
falls to 2-4.
(Sept. 12, 2004) –
UTEP finished the Highlander Classic with an undefeated 2-0
record, beating UC Davis 3-1
Sunday. Two second half strikes from freshman forward
Cara Nordin broke open a closely contested game.
The Miners (5-1) shot out
of the gate first, scoring within 12 minutes. Freshman forward
Jami Tullius found space in the box to hit sophomore midfielder
Kelli Yeamans. Yeamans struck a left-footed shot from 12 yards
into the left corner for her second goal of the season.
Davis (1-4) equalized just
after halftime, scoring within a minute of the restart. Sophomore
defender Erin Fong collected a pass from freshman forward
Megan Wall and, from 30 yards out, skipped the ball into the
right corner.
With the score knotted at
one-all, both teams attacked, looking for the game-winner.
UTEP managed to find it in the 59th minute, working the ball
in the right corner. Sophomore forward Christine McCartney
delivered a cross from the right side and Nordin found herself
unmarked in the six-yard box. Nordin easily tapped the ball
in for her third goal of the year, giving UTEP the 2-1 advantage.
Nordin struck again eight
minutes later, dribbling through the Aggie defense and rifling
a right-footed shot into the top of the net from 10 yards
out. From there, both sides had more opportunities but neither
team was able to score.
Miner goalie Brittany Popoff
made four saves for the win. Junior Krystyn Lizak and sophomore
Megan Daws split time in goal for the Aggies with Daws making
one save.
UTEP finishes the Highlander
Classic at 2-0, tied with UCR for the best record. UC Davis
went 0-2 to tie for third with Eastern Washington.
(Sept. 21, 2004) –
A 35-yard strike from freshman forward Kacie McElrath (Palm
Desert, CA/Horizon HS) gave UCR a
1-0 victory at the University of San Diego Tuesday. McElrath's
fourth goal of the year helped the Highlanders win their school-record
seventh consecutive game and maintain their perfect start
to the season.
Riverside (7-0-0) endured
a flurry of shots from the Toreros throughout the game. USD
(4-5-0) held a 20-7 shot advantage but it was McElrath's shot
that proved the difference. Just seven minutes into the contest,
the freshman found Torero goalkeeper Karen Cook off her line
and enleashed an attempt from 35 yards. The shot was perfect,
looping over a jumping Cook and into the back of the net.
The goal tied McElrath with classmate Jenna Leonti for the
team lead with four goals and gave her 11 points on the season,
breaking the school record for most points in a season by
a freshman.
Clinging to a 1-0 lead,
the UCR defense took over. Weathering a barrage of shots,
the Highlanders were outshot 12-4 in the second half but never
allowed their lead to slip. Sophomore goalie Tawny Poggio
(Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) preserved her fifth shutout of
the year with seven saves.
The win was UCR's first
ever over the Toreros and broke the school record for consecutive
victories set during the 2002 season. The Highlanders look
to continue their unblemished start this weekend in Cedar
City, UT. Riverside plays Centenary College on Saturday at
1 p.m. before taking on Southern Utah University Monday at
2 p.m.
(Sept. 25, 2004) –
Four days after winning a program-record seventh game in a
1-0 thriller, the UCR women's soccer team exploded offensively
in winning its eighth straight, scoring eight goals in an
8-0 victory over Centenary College
in Cedar City, UT on Saturday. Seven different Highlanders
got on the scoresheet with junior forward Lisa Jensen (San
Dimas, CA/Bonita HS) netting two goals and sophomore forward
Amber Plumlee (La Habra, CA/Sonora HS) providing one goal
and three assists..
Fans might have been worried
that the Highlanders would be sluggish after enduring a seven
hour bus ride from Riverside to Cedar City, but UCR quickly
silenced that talk. The Highlanders scored in the first minute
of play, as junior midfielder Angela Reling (Costa Mesa, CA/Mater
Dei HS) connected off a cross from senior defender Erika Bligh
(Alta Loma, CA/Alta Loma HS) after just 58 seconds. It was
Reling's first goal of the year and third of her career.
The Highlanders made it
2-0 at the 11:18 mark as Plumlee rebounded a shot for her
third goal of the season. Freshman forward Kacie McElrath
(Palm Desert, CA/Horizon HS) extended UCR's lead two and a
half minutes later, as the Highlanders caught the Ladies (5-3-1)
off-guard with a counterattack. Junior midfielder Renee Scachetti
(Torrance, CA/Bishop Montgomery HS) provided the final pass
for McElrath's team-leading sixth goal of the year.
Having seen her classmate
move ahead of her in the scoring race, freshman forward Jenna
Leonti (Corona, CA/Santiago HS) netted her fifth goal
of the season to give UCR a 4-0 lead in the 22nd minute. Leonti
pounced on a poor clearance from the Centenary defense to
place the ball in the back of the net from 15 yards out.
Leading 4-0 at halftime,
UCR switched goalies. Starter Tawny Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater
Dei HS) made way for senior Katie Blank (Chino Hills, CA/St.
Lucy's Priory) after having been forced to make one save.
Blank was hardly troubled in the second half, facing only
two errant shots that were off-target.
With the win all but a formality,
UCR netted a fifth at 50:08. Sophomore defender Shayna Hufford
(Alta Loma, CA/Long Beach State) scored her first goal at
UCR, sidestepping the Centenary goalie and firing into an
empty net. Junior forward Vanessa Chanez (Placentia, CA/El
Dorado HS) was credited with her team-leading fourth assist.
The scoreline remained 5-0
until the final eight minutes, when the Highlanders poured
in three more goals, all off assists from Plumlee. Jensen
collected her first of the contest when Plumlee found her
unmarked in the box. Sophomore forward Linda Allen (Wildomar,
CA/Lake Elsinore HS) scored the seventh goal in the 86th minute
and Jensen concluded the scoring two minutes from time.
Riverside (8-0-0) recorded
its second consecutive shutout and sixth of the season in
extending its school-record winning streak to eight games.
The eight goals were a season-high, surpassing the six scored
against Nevada on August 29th. UCR completes its Utah road
trip with a Monday game against Southern Utah at 2 p.m.
(Sept. 27, 2004) –
UCR scored three goals in the final
15 minutes to gain a 3-0 victory
at Southern Utah (3-6-0) Monday. Late goals from freshman
Kacie McElrath (Palm Desert, CA/Horizon HS), sophomore Linda
Allen (Wildomar, CA/Lake Elsinore HS), and junior Ashlee Stephens
(Temecula, CA/Chaparral HS) extended the Highlanders' school-record
winning streak to nine games.
Playing their second game
in three days in the altitude of Cedar City, the Highlanders
dug deep when it counted most. Having held a 6-5 shot advantage
in the first half, UCR poured it on in the second half, outshooting
Southern Utah 11-3 and gaining 12 corner kicks (seven in the
second half) to the Thunderbirds' one.
With the game knotted at
0-0 for more than 75 minutes, UCR finally broke through with
McElrath giving them the lead at 75:19. Senior defender Kristi
Tanaka (Torrance, CA/West Torrance HS) provided a long pass
over the top of the Thunderbird defense. McElrath outraced
everyone to score her team-leading sixth goal of the season.
McElrath has now scored in four consecutive matches, including
the game-winner in two of the last three. Her six goals are
a new Highlander freshman record, surpassing the five scored
by teammate Lisa Jensen in 2002 and classmate Jenna Leonti
this season. She is one goal shy of the school record for
goals in a season, held jointly by juniors Vanessa Chanez
and Renee Scachetti.
UCR gained a two-goal cushion
six minutes later through Allen's second goal in successive
games. Her shot from 25 yards took a kind deflection and left
the Thunderbird goalkeeper with no chance.
Riverside added a third
at 84:00 when Southern Utah failed to clear the ball. Sophomore
forward Amber Plumlee (La Habra, CA/Sonora HS) collected the
loose ball and found Stephens in the box. The junior was left
with a one-on-one with the goalie to score her third goal
of the year.
Sophomore goalie Tawny Poggio
(Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) played all 90 minutes, making
seven saves. Poggio has four shutouts on the year and has
only allowed one goal in 674:46 minutes.
"I am very pleased
with the result and how our players dealt with the elements,"
Head Coach Veronica O'Brien said. "This was our third
day at altitude and it showed but our resiliency helped us
today."
UCR has the nation's second-longest
winning streak at nine games. The Highlanders have recorded
three straight shutouts and seven overall. They return home
for two games this weekend. On Friday, October 1, UCR opens
Big West Play at Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m. The Highlanders
then host Air Force on Sunday at 12 noon.
(Oct. 1, 2004) – The
UCR women's soccer team opened Big West Conference play with
a 0-0 tie at Cal State Fullerton
Friday night. The tie maintained the Highlanders' undefeated
record as they stand 9-0-1, 0-0-1 in the BWC.
The Highlanders entered
the game with the second longest winning streak in the country
and were averaging 3.38 goals a game. On this night, however,
they were matched against a determined Titan squad. Fullerton
(3-6-1, 0-0-1) outshot UCR 28-5 but sophomore goalie Tawny
Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) was the Highlanders' saviour,
stopping a season-high 11 shots for her fifth solo shutout
of the season.
The Titans scored what seemed
to be the go-ahead goal in the first half but it was waved
off due to an infraction in the penalty box. After that, the
experienced UCR defense weathered any Titan attack.
Freshman forward Kacie McElrath
(Palm Desert, CA/Horizon HS) registered two of the Highlanders'
five shots but could not find the net, bringing an end to
her school-record streak of scoring in four consecutive games.
UCR has now held opponents
scoreless in four straight games, tying their shutout streak
to begin this season. The school record for consecutive shutouts
is five, set in 2002. This was the first goalless tie in Fullerton
women's soccer history and the second for UCR. The Highlanders
had previously drawn 0-0 at Utah State on October 26 of last
season. Riverside is now 2-1-1 against the Titans.
The Highlanders go for their
tenth win of the season on Sunday, when they take on the Air
Force Academy in the first game of a men's/women's doubleheader.
The women kick off at 12 noon, with the UCR men following
against UC Davis at 3 p.m.
(Oct. 3, 2004) – UCR
maintained its unbeaten start to the 2004 season, winning
its tenth game with a 3-2 victory
over Air Force Sunday at the UCR Soccer Stadium. Junior
midfielder Renee Scachetti scored two goals, including the
eventual game winner.
After playing 110 scoreless
minutes on Friday at Cal State Fullerton, the Highlanders
took the lead just 2:15 into Sunday’s match. Junior
midfielder Dani Geiger’s (Claremont, CA/Claremont HS)
long throw-in eluded the Falcon defenders. Sphomore forward
Amber Plumlee (La Habra, CA/Sonora HS) pounced on the ball,
sending a one-touch shot past the goalie for her fourth goal
of the season.
No sooner than they had
taken the lead, the Highlanders found themselves back on level
terms. In the sixth minute, Air Force’s Raegan McDowell’s
driven corner kick found the head of Meredith Benson, who
redirected the ball past the outstretched arms of sophomore
goalie Tawny Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS). The goal
was only the second Poggio had given up all season.
UCR reclaimed the lead at
10:31, as junior midfielder Renee Scachetti (Torrance, CA/Bishop
Montgomery HS) displayed fine individual skill. Scachetti’s
solo run took her into the penalty box, where her left-footed
shot beat the Falcons’ Jennifer Drew.
Scachetti put the Highlanders
up 3-1 four minutes later. Freshman forward Jenna Leonti (Corona,
CA/Santiago HS) found space in the middle before sending a
through-ball to Scachetti. The junior’s left-footed
first-time shot brilliantly curled into the corner for her
fourth goal of the season.
Trailing 3-1, the Falcons
(3-7-1) displayed their tireless effort and clawed a goal
back with 13 minutes remaining. Erin Fitzpatrick got the final
touch after a cross and a flick-on.
Poggio made two saves in
the first half before being replaced by senior Katie Blank
(Chino Hills, CA/St. Mary’s Priory), who stopped one
shot.
UCR (10-0-1) puts its unbeaten
record on the line this week with home matches against last
year’s Big West champion and runners-up. On Friday,
the Highlanders host two-time defending conference champion
Cal Poly at 3 p.m. UC Santa Barbara visits UCR on Sunday,
with kickoff at 1 p.m.
(Oct. 4, 2004) – Sophomore
goalkeeper Tawny Poggio was named the Big West Conference’s
Women’s Soccer Co-Player of the Week, it was announced
today. Poggio allowed only one goal in 245 minutes of play
from September 27-October 3, recording two shutouts and helping
the Highlanders stay unbeaten. She shares the accolade with
UC Santa Barbara’s Darci Gwartz.
Poggio, a native of Santa
Ana, CA, started the week with a 3-0 shutout at Southern Utah.
In that game, she made several key saves to keep the game
goalless until UCR scored three times in the final 15 minutes
to win their ninth straight game. Poggio stopped a then-season
high seven shots and recorded her fourth shutout of the year.
On Friday, the Highlanders
opened Big West Conference play on the road at Cal State Fullerton.
Poggio again came through in the clutch, preserving another
shutout with 11 saves in a 0-0 double overtime tie. The saves
total was two shy of Poggio’s career high and surpassed
her previous season’s best from Monday.
In her third game of the
week, Poggio started Sunday against Air Force and played the
first half. She made two saves and allowed one goal but got
the win as UCR downed the Falcons 3-2.
Poggio has started every
game this season for the Highlanders, who have started the
season a program-best 10-0-1. She has all ten of UCR’s
victories, matching her own school record set last season.
Thus far in 2004, she has logged 829:46 minutes and allowed
just two goals. Poggio currently leads the nation with a 0.22
goals against average and is tied for first in the Big West
Conference with five solo shutouts.
UCR faces two tough conference
tests this weekend at home. On Friday, the Highlanders welcome
two-time defending Big West champions Cal Poly while on Sunday
they host last season’s runners-up, UC Santa Barbara.
Kickoff for Friday’s game is at 3 pm and Sunday’s
is at 1 p.m.
(Oct. 8, 2004) – Freshman
Jenna Leonti (Corona, CA/Santiago HS) scored with five minutes
remaining in regulation to earn
UCR a 1-1 double overtime tie against two-time defending
Big West champions Cal Poly Friday at the UCR Soccer Stadium.
The tie extends the Highlanders' school-record unbeaten streak
to twelve games.
UCR (10-0-2, 0-0-2) and
Cal Poly (6-1-4, 2-0-1) stood toe-to-toe for 110 minutes but
neither team could put the other away. Cal Poly had much of
the play in the first half, outshooting UCR 13-1. The Mustangs
took the lead at 12:50 as Becky Clark slammed home a right-footed
volley off of Heidi Spink's cross.
Despite the deficit in shots
and on the scoreboard, the Highlanders kept their heads up
and continued to battle. They had numerous chances in the
second half, including a header in the box from junior forward
Vanessa Chanez (Placentia, CA/El Dorado HS) that was saved
by Cal Poly's Liz Hill.
With a boisterous crowd
urging the Highlanders forward, UCR struck an equalizer at
84:50. Senior defender Kristi Tanaka (Torrance, CA/West Torrance
HS) lofted a free kick into the box from the halfway line.
It was flicked on by a Mustang defender in to the path of
Leonti , who lunged a header past Hill to tie the game. The
goal was Leonti's sixth of the year, tying her for the team
lead.
In overtime, Poly had two
shots to UCR's one but the Highlanders almost won the game
when sophomore forward Kelly Ferguson's (Irvine, CA/Irvine
HS) 20-yard strike glanced off the crossbar with a minute
remaining.
Sophomore goalie Tawny Poggio
(Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) made seven saves in 110 minutes
while Hill stopped three shots for the Mustangs.
UCR looks to extend its
unbeaten run when it hosts UC Santa Barbara on Sunday at 1
p.m.
(Oct. 10, 2004) –
UC Santa Barbara scored with 1:34 remaining in the second
overtime period to give the Gauchos a
2-1 victory over UC Riverside Sunday at the UCR Soccer
Stadium. The loss was Riverside’s first of the year
and snaps its twelve game unbeaten run to start the season.
The Highlanders and Gauchos
were about as neck-and-neck as two teams could be throughout
the game. They each had eight shots and six corner kicks while
UCR committed one fewer foul, 13-12. For the first half, neither
team conceded much with the Highlanders holding a 2-1 shot
advantage.
The game really picked up
in the second half, as strong fan support from both sides
urged the teams forward. UCR found a way to break the deadlock
first, scoring at the 73:38 mark. Freshman forward Kacie McElrath
(Palm Desert, CA/Horizon HS) found junior midfielder Angela
Reling (Costa Mesa, CA/Mater Dei HS) in the penalty box off
a throw-in. Reling held the ball up long enough for the Gaucho
defenders to commit before slotting the ball back to junior
midfielder Renee Scachetti (Torrance, CA/Bishop Montgomery
HS). Without hesitation, Scachetti fired a right-footed shot
from the edge of the area into the upper corner to give UCR
a 1-0 lead. The goal was Scachetti’s fifth of the season
and school-record twelfth of her career.
Holding the slim lead,
UCR almost hung on for the victory. In fact, the Highlanders
nearly made it 2-0 but sophomore forward Amber Plumlee (La
Habra, CA/Sonora HS) could not connect on a header in the
box.
With three minutes remaining, UCSB (9-4-1, 4-0-0) equalized.
Forward Jennifer Borcich lost her marker inside the six-yard
box and headed a cross from forward Chandi Bickford to send
the game into overtime.
The first overtime period
had plenty of excitement but no clear chances as the game
remained knotted at one. UCR was reduced to ten players in
the 99th minute but continued to battle on. Just as Riverside
was looking to secure its third consecutive tie in conference
play, the Gauchos ended the match. Bickford made a run down
the right and crossed it to forward Allie Kueny, who sent
a volley towards the goal. Sophomore goalie Tawny Poggio (Santa
Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) got a hand to it but could not keep
it out.
Poggio stopped two shots,
as did UCSB’s Catherine Burson.
UCR (10-1-2, 0-1-2) takes
to the road this week with away matches at Cal State Northridge
on Friday and Pacific on Sunday.
(Oct. 15, 2004) –
UCR ran into a hot team on Friday, losing its second straight
match in overtime, falling 2-1
at Cal State Northridge. The Highlanders battled back
from a 1-0 deficit but were upended by the Matadors' sixth
consecutive win.
An exciting first half
could have yielded any number of goals but remained scoreless
thanks to the fine work by UCR sophomore goalkeeper Tawny
Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) and her Matador counterpart
Karen Comstock. Junior forward Vanessa Chanez (Placentia,
CA/El Dorado HS) almost gave UCR the lead in the seventh minute
but her shot was cleared off the goalline by a Matador defender.
The Highlanders outshot Northridge 9-7 in the first period
but Comstock stopped four shots while Poggio had three saves
to keep the game knotted at 0-0.
CSUN (11-2-1, 5-0-0 BWC)
took the lead at 59:24 when Kristin Krohn's 20-yard shot eluded
Poggio to hit the top left corner of the net.
UCR equalized with thirteen
minutes left. Chanez beat her defender one-on-one but her
shot caromed off the post. Junior midfielder Renee Scachetti
(Torrance, CA/Bishop Montgomery HS) reacted first to slot
the ball into the empty net. The goal was Scachetti's sixth
of the year, tying her for the team lead. It was also her
school-record fourteenth career goal.
With the score knotted at
1-1, the Highlanders were faced with their third consecutive
overtime game and fourth in Big West play. Whereas the other
three had continued into a second overtime, this one did not
last as long. Just three minutes in, Northridge's Rebecca
Hidalgo scored off a breakaway to send UCR to its second defeat
in a row.
The Matadors outshot UCR
21-16 for the game. Poggio made eight saves in the loss while
Comstock stopped three for CSUN.
UCR (10-2-2, 0-2-2 BWC)
continues its quest for a Big West Conference win on Sunday
when the Highlanders visit Pacific for a noon kickoff.
(Oct. 17, 2004) –
The UCR women's soccer team continued its overtime habit,
tying Pacific 1-1 at A.A. Stagg
Memorial Stadium in Stockton on Sunday. The double-overtime
game was Riverside's fifth extra-period contest of the season
and fourth in a row while the Tigers have played to five ties
this year.
On a cold, wet, and rainy
day in Stockton, UCR again struggled to find the back of the
net. The Highlanders outshot the Tigers 17-8 for the game
and held a 7-4 advantage in corner kicks but found themselves
tied at 0-0 after the first half. Pacific (6-4-5, 2-1-3) took
the lead in the 61st minute when Maggie Barsotti rebounded
a deflection off UCR sophomore goalkeeper Tawny Poggio (Santa
Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS). Carmen Padilla got the final touch
for Pacific.
The Highlanders equalized
at 74:13 through senior defender Kristi Tanaka (Torrance,
CA/West Torrance HS). After a foul on the edge of the penalty
area, Tanaka rocketed a shot into the back of the net for
her first goal of the season and sixth of her career.
As the game headed into
overtime, UCR continued to press forward. The Highlanders
took five shots in the extra 20 minutes to Pacific's one,
but Tiger goalie Jaime Souza stopped four shots in overtime
as the scoreline remained 1-1.
Poggio made three saves
while Souza stopped twelve for the Tigers.
UCR (10-2-3, 0-2-3) continues
to search for its first Big West Conference victory of 2004.
The Highlanders fell to 0-1-3 in overtime games this season
and is 1-2-3 since opening the season 9-0. UCR aims for its
school-record-tying eleventh win with two home games next
week. On Friday, the Highlanders welcome Idaho at 3 p.m. and
they host Utah State at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
(Oct. 22, 2004) –
UC Riverside broke a five-game winless streak in Big West
Conference play, defeating Idaho
2-1 Friday at the UCR Soccer Stadium. Senior midfielder
Kelly Hurley (Arcadia, CA/Arcadia HS) and freshman forward
Jenna Leonti (Corona, CA/Santiago HS) collected the goals
as the Highlanders tied the school record with their eleventh
win of the season.
After playing five consecutive
overtime matches, UCR was looking to avoid any extra periods,
if possible. Riverside dominated much of the play in the first
half, controlling the ball in midfield and keeping the Idaho
attack at bay. The Highlanders held a 13-3 shot advantage
for the game and were rewarded with a goal at 26:56. An Idaho
clearance fell to junior midfielder Renee Scachetti (Torrance,
CA/Bishop Montgomery HS), who chipped the ball back into the
penalty box. Hurley lost her marker and hit a first-time right-footed
volley into the bottom left corner for her second goal of
the season.
Although they had more
offensive chances, the Highlanders were unable to add to their
tally in the first half. Sophomore forward Linda Allen (Wildomar,
CA/Lake Elsinore HS) came closest on a through-ball but Vandal
goalkeeper Lindsay Smith was able to get a hand to Allen’s
shot.
UCR took a 2-0 lead eleven
minutes into the second half. Sophomore forward Amber Plumlee
(La Habra, CA/Sonora HS) eluded two defenders in a run down
the left side and crossed to a waiting Leonti. Leonti’s
finish, while not stylistic, still found the back of the net.
The goal was Leonti’s seventh of the year, giving her
the team lead and tying her with Scachetti and junior forward
Vanessa Chanez (Placentia, CA/El Dorado HS) for the most in
a single season. Plumlee’s assist was also a record,
as her six this year are a new UCR mark.
Riverside was unable to
relax with a 2-0 lead, however. Just 97 seconds later, Idaho
(3-11-0, 1-5-0 Big West) pulled a goal back through a bizarre
sequence of events. The Vandals took a free kick at midfield
and sent it into the penalty box, where Scachetti’s
attempted clearance hit the crossbar. With the ball shooting
up in the air, Idaho’s Adriane Kehl got her head to
it to make the score 2-1.
UCR had two more chances
to extend its lead later in the half but Leonti’s shot
was cleared off the line and Scachetti’s breakaway was
stopped by Smith.
Highlander sophomore goalie
Tawny Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) recorded her school-record
eleventh win of the year despite making no saves. Smith stopped
six shots for the Vandals.
UCR (11-2-3, 1-2-3 Big West)
plays its final home game of the season on Sunday against
Utah State. The Highlanders will honor seniors Jessica Armel,
Katie Blank, Erika Bligh, Katie Camerlengo, Kelly Hurley,
Danica Pommerenck, and Kristi Tanaka in a ceremony prior to
the 3:00 p.m. kick-off.
(Oct. 24, 2004) –
The UCR women’s soccer team celebrated Senior Day with
a last-gasp 3-2 victory over
visiting Utah State Sunday at the UCR Soccer Stadium.
Junior midfielder Renee Scachetti (Torrance, CA/Bishop Montgomery
HS) netted the first two goals and freshman forward Jenna
Leonti (Corona, CA/Santiago HS) scored with 2:07 left to give
the Highlanders their school-record twelfth win of the year.
It was a game of two very
different halves as neither team scored in the first half
and then combined for five second half goals. In the first
half, the Highlanders outshot the Aggies 7-0 but could not
capitalize on their chances. Freshman forward Kacie McElrath
(Palm Desert, CA/Horizon HS) came closest but her one-on-one
with Utah State goalkeeper Kelli Allred was saved.
After not attempting a shot
in the first period, the Aggies (6-9-1, 3-3-1 Big West) scored
on their first shot in the second half. At 46:40, Nicole Gooch
sent a free kick into the area where Chanel Blaquiere took
advantage of a loose ball to give Utah State an unlikely 1-0
lead.
Riverside hit back five
minutes later through Scachetti. Senior midfielder Kelly Hurley
(Arcadia, CA/Arcadia HS) started the move, sending a pass
out wide to junior forward Vanessa Chanez (Placentia, CA/El
Dorado HS). Chanez’s cross from the left found Scachetti
at the back post to draw UCR level. It was her seventh goal
of the year, tying a career high. But Scachetti had more in
store.
The Highlanders took the
lead at 65:55 through quick reactions. On a free kick from
30 yards out, senior defender Kristi Tanaka’s (Torrance,
CA/West Torrance HS) screaming shot rebounded off Allred and
directly to Scachetti. Scachetti did little more than tap
it in to give UCR a 2-1 advantage. Scachetti's eight goal
of the year set a new school record for goals in a single
season, a mark she would hold all by herself for 22 minutes.
Utah State would not lie
down, however, and struck again with eleven minutes left.
Michelle Haws carried the ball for 20 yards before crossing
into the box, where Abbey Hunt headed the equalizer.
With both teams looking
for a third goal, a bizarre sequence of events set up Leonti’s
dramatic game-winner. Scachetti and Allred collided in the
penalty area on a cross and play was stopped to tend to both
players. The game was restarted with a drop-ball in the middle
of the field and UCR sophomore midfielder Kelly Ferguson (Irvine,
CA/Irvine HS) came away with it. Her run down the left opened
up space in the middle and she laid a perfect pass back to
an on-rushing Leonti, whose left-footed finish found the back
of the net. The goal was Leonti's eighth of the year, tying
Scachetti for the school record.
Several other UCR records
fell in the win. In addition to the team gaining its twelfth
victory and Leonti and Scachetti's scoring prowess, Scachetti
also broke the mark for most points in a season with 20. Sophomore
goalie Tawny Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) also extended
her record for most goalie wins with her twelfth.
UCR (12-2-3, 2-2-3) kept
alive its hopes to make the Big West Tournament. The Highlanders
end the regular season on the road with a Friday night game
at UC Irvine and a 2 p.m. match at Long Beach State Sunday.
(Oct. 25, 2004) –
UC Riverside women’s soccer player Jenna Leonti (Corona,
CA/Santiago HS) was named the Big West Conference’s
Co-Player of the Week for the week of October 18-24, it was
announced Monday. The freshman forward scored the game-winning
goals in both of the Highlanders’ wins over the weekend,
tying the single-season goals mark in the process.
In Friday’s match
against Idaho, Leonti gave UCR a 2-0 lead with a header in
the 56th minute. The goal proved to be decisive as the Highlanders
held on for a 2-1 victory. Two days later, her left-footed
shot from 18 yards with two minutes remaining catapulted UCR
to a 3-2 win over Utah State.
Leonti’s two goals
gave her eight on the season, tying her for the school record
with teammate junior midfielder Renee Scachetti (Torrance,
CA/Bishop Montgomery HS). Leonti also has the UCR freshman
record with eight goals and 18 points.
Leonti shares this week’s
honor with Pacific’s Laura Guerin. She is the second
Highlander to be named Co-Player of the Week, following sophomore
goalkeeper Tawny Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS), who
was recognized for the week of September 27-October 3.
UCR (12-2-3, 2-2-3) needs
a pair of wins this weekend to keep alive its hopes to make
the Big West Tournament. The Highlanders end the regular season
on the road with a Friday night game at UC Irvine and a 2
p.m. match at Long Beach State Sunday.
(Oct. 31, 2004) –
A 0-0 double overtime tie at
Long Beach State brought an end to UCR's 2004 season as
the Highlanders needed a win plus a Cal Poly loss to make
the four-team Big West Tournament. Riverside finishes a record-breaking
season with a 13-2-4 record including a 3-2-4 mark in conference
play. The thirteen wins are a program-best.
On a beautiful Halloween
Sunday in Long Beach, the Highlanders came out firing, knowing
that anything less than a win would end their season. The
conference's highest-scoring offense took thirteen shots on
the day but was unable to put any of them away as the 49ers
(6-9-3, 1-6-2 Big West) kept pace.
Senior goalkeeper Katie
Blank (Chino Hills, CA/St. Lucy's Priory) was called into
action to make several crucial saves after UCR's starting
goalie, sophomore Tawny Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS),
had to leave the game following a collision with a Beach player.
Blank entered the game at 46:16 and stopped six shots, including
a game-saving parry in the 103rd minute.
The 2004 Highlanders set
numerous single-season records, including most wins, ties,
goals, assists, and points and fewest goals allowed. In addition,
junior midfielder Renee Scachetti (Torrance, CA/Bishop Montgomery
HS) and freshman forward Jenna Leonti (Corona, CA/Santiago
HS) set new single-season goals marks with eight apiece. Scachetti
also established a new points record with twenty while sophomore
forward Amber Plumlee (La Habra, CA/Sonora HS) had a program-best
five assists.
UCR finishes tied with Pacific
for fifth in the Big West standings. UC Santa Barbara, Cal
State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, and Cal Poly move on
to the conference tournament next weekend in Irvine.
(Nov. 4, 2004) – UC
Riverside women’s soccer player Erin Fahres (Alta Loma,
CA/Etiwanda HS) was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America®
District VIII First Team, it was announced Thursday. Fahres
is the first Highlander women’s soccer player to receive
such an award.
Fahres, a junior defender,
appeared in sixteen matches for the 2004 Highlanders. She
recorded one assist on offense but was most instrumental on
the defensive side of the ball. Her contributions helped the
Highlanders set new school records for most wins, fewest losses,
most goals scored, most points, and fewest goals allowed.
She was a part of a defense that allowed just 0.70 goals per
game and recorded a school-record nine shutouts.
Fahres is majoring in Business
and carries a 3.95 Grade Point Average. Her recognition on
the district team automatically enters her into the national
Academic All-America® pool, which will be announced Tuesday,
November 22. Candidates are nominated by their university
sports information directors and are then voted on by members
of CoSIDA, the College Sports Information Directors of America
UCR finished the season
with a 13-2-4 record, including a 3-2-4 mark in Big West Conference
play.
(Nov. 9, 2004) – The
UCR women’s soccer team placed four players on the All-Big
West Conference teams, it was announced Tuesday. Senior defender
Kristi Tanaka (Torrance, CA/West Torrance HS) and junior midfielder
Renee Scachetti (Torrance, CA/Bishop Montgomery HS) were both
named to the First Team while sophomore goalkeeper Tawny Poggio
(Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) and freshman forward Jenna Leonti
(Corona, CA/Santiago HS) were selected as Honorable Mention.
In addition, Leonti was named the conference’s Freshman
of the Year.
Tanaka becomes UCR’s
first four-time conference recipient. She was a strong presence
in defense for the 2004 Highlanders, starting all nineteen
games and helping the team set a new school record for fewest
goals allowed at 14. Offensively, Tanaka scored one goal and
supplied three assists. Last year, Tanaka became the first
UCR player to be named to the First Team and thus becomes
the first two-time First Teamer. Tanaka was also selected
to the All-Big West Second Team her freshman and sophomore
seasons.
Scachetti was the team’s
co-leading scorer this year, netting a school-record eight
goals, including four in conference play. She also provided
four assists to establish a new program-high with 20 total
points. She ranked fifth in the conference in points and was
tied for fourth in goals. Scachetti’s sixteen career
goals and 40 career points are tops among active Highlanders
and the most in the school’s four-year Division I history.
This is Scachetti’s first appearance on the conference’s
First Team but was a Second Team selection in 2002 and 2003.
Poggio established new single-season
UCR records with a goals against average of 0.69 and thirteen
wins. She also posted five shutouts with 69 saves in 1562:41
minutes. This season she also broke the career saves record,
ending the year with 188. Poggio wound up second in the conference
in goals against average and was tied for fourth in shutouts.
This is also Poggio’s second conference recognition,
having made the Second Team last year.
Leonti set new freshmen
records for goals and points while tying Scachetti for a new
school-record with eight goals. Leonti also provided two assists
for 18 points, second on the team. She scored a team-high
five game-winning goals and led Big West freshmen in all offensive
categories. In receiving this recognition, Leonti becomes
the first Highlander to be named Freshman of the Year and
fifth freshman to be selected to an All-Conference team.
UCR finished the 2004 campaign
with a 13-2-4 mark, setting new school records for most wins,
goals scored, assists, points, consecutive wins to start a
season, and fewest goals allowed.
(Nov. 16, 2004) –
The UC Riverside women’s soccer team shattered many
program records in 2004 en route to arguably its most successful
season in history. The Highlanders finished with a school-record
thirteen wins, going 13-2-4 and 3-2-4 in the Big West Conference.
UCR started the year with
a nine-game winning streak, the longest in school history.
The Highlanders were undefeated in their first eleven games
and posted nine shutouts, tied for the most ever. UCR also
had two stretches of four consecutive shutouts.
The Highlanders surpassed
several team records as they led the Big West in most offensive
categories. Eighteen players scored at least one point as
UCR set new records for most goals (45), assists (39) and
points (129) while also leading the league in each per-game
category. Defensively, Riverside shut down opponents, allowing
a program-low 14 goals and limiting opponents to just 0.74
goals per game.
In addition, numerous individual
records fell during the 2004 season. Junior midfielder Renee
Scachetti (Torrance, CA/Bishop Montgomery HS) broke her own
previous marks of seven goals and 18 points by recording eight
goals and 20 points this season. Scachetti also moved into
the top slots for career goals (16) and points (40) and was
named to the All-Big West First Team for the first time.
Freshman forward Jenna Leonti
(Corona, CA/Santiago HS) tied Scachetti for the team lead
in goals with eight. She also set freshman records for goals
and points (18) in being selected the Big West Conference’s
Freshman of the Year and gaining conference Honorable Mention
recognition.
Two players tied for the
new school record for assists. Junior midfielder Vanessa Chanez
(Placentia, CA/El Dorado HS) and sophomore forward Amber Plumlee
(La Habra, CA/Sonora HS) each recorded six assists to break
the old record of four, held by Chanez and Scachetti. Chanez
now has ten career assists, a new career record.
In goal, sophomore Tawny
Poggio (Santa Ana, CA/Mater Dei HS) set a new goalie record
for wins at thirteen and ties with four. Poggio also lowered
her mark for goals against average, allowing just 0.69 goals
per game. She also moved into the top spot in career saves
as she now has 188 in two seasons. In addition, Poggio kept
five solo shutouts, the second-highest total in UCR history,
in earning conference Honorable Mention honors.
Rounding out the All-Conference
honors, senior defender Kristi Tanaka (Torrance, CA/West Torrance
HS) became the first four-time All-Big West player, earning
a spot on the First Team for the second straight season.
(Jan. 6, 2005) – UC
Riverside senior defender Kristi Tanaka (Torrance, CA/West
Torrance HS) was selected to the women’s soccer All-West
Region Third Team by Soccer Buzz, a women’s college
soccer website, it was announced Thursday. Tanaka was one
of three Big West Conference players selected to the All-Region
Teams.
Tanaka is the first Highlander
to earn recognition from Soccer Buzz, and rounds out a career
full of accolades. This year, Tanaka was named to the All-Big
West Conference First Team for the second consecutive season,
becoming the school’s first four-time all-conference
player. Last year, Tanaka became the first UCR player to be
named to the First Team and thus becomes the first two-time
First Teamer. Tanaka was also selected to the All-Big West
Second Team her freshman and sophomore seasons.
UCR finished the 2004 campaign
with a 13-2-4 mark, setting new school records for most wins,
goals scored, assists, points, consecutive wins to start a
season, and fewest goals allowed.
Tanaka joins UC Santa Barbara’s
Jennifer Borcich (First Team) and Cal Poly’s Sharon
Day (Second Team) as the lone Big West members. The teams
were voted on by NCAA Division I coaches and the Soccer Buzz
staff.
(April 8, 2005) –
The UCR women’s soccer team has hired Chris Lemay to
become the full-time assistant coach after one year of being
a volunteer assistant coach with the Highlanders, Head Coach
Veronica O'Brien announced Friday. Lemay takes the place of
Ross Fogel, who took the head coach position at Emporia State
University in Kansas.
Lemay joined the UCR coaching
staff in July of 2004 after serving as the men’s assistant
coach at San Diego City College in 2003. Lemay has also served
as the Director of the Del Mar Sharks' Girls Program coaching
the girls' under-11 and under-12 teams since 2000. In addition,
Lemay has been an assistant coach and scout for the Cal South
Olympic Development Program since 2003.
A graduate of Eastern Michigan
University with a degree in Communications, Lemay was a four-year
starter for the Eagles and a Mid-American Conference All-Tournament
selection. From 1998-2000, Lemay played semi-professionally
for the Michigan Madness of the US Indoor Soccer League. After
moving west, he became a coach for the Cal South Olympic Development
Program.
A native of Troy, MI, Lemay
holds a National “C” License from the USSF and
is a member of the NSCAA.
UCR finished the 2004 campaign with a 13-2-4 mark under fifth-year
head coach Veronica O'Brien, setting new school records for
most wins, goals scored, assists, points, consecutive wins
to start a season, and fewest goals allowed.
(May 6, 2005) – UC
Riverside senior defender Kristi Tanaka (Torrance, CA/West
Torrance HS) and junior midfielder Renee Scachetti (Torrance,
CA/Bishop Montgomery HS) were selected to the women’s
soccer National Soccer Coaches Association of America/adidas
All-West Region Third Team. Tanaka and Scachetti were two
of three Big West Conference players selected to the All-Region
Teams.
The award for Tanaka follows
her third team honors by Soccerbuzz, an online soccer website.
This year, Tanaka was named to the All-Big West Conference
First Team for the second consecutive season, becoming the
school’s first four-time all-conference player. Last
year, Tanaka became the first UCR player to be named to the
First Team and thus becomes the first two-time First Teamer.
Tanaka was also selected to the All-Big West Second Team her
freshman and sophomore seasons.
Scachetti broke her own
previous marks of seven goals and 18 points by recording eight
goals and 20 points this season. Scachetti also moved into
the top slots for career goals (16) and points (40) and was
named to the All-Big West First Team for the first time.
UCR finished the 2004 campaign
with a 13-2-4 mark, setting new school records for most wins,
goals scored, assists, points, consecutive wins to start a
season, and fewest goals allowed.
The two Highlanders are
the first players in the program's four-year history to be
named to the NSCAA/adidas team. Players are voted on by coaches
who are members of the national organization.
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