Senior forward Eliot Ricks-Chambers’ first goal of the season wasn’t enough to top UC Riverside as the Highlnders came away with the 2-1 victory Friday afternoon at Hornet Field. Riverside freshman Nathan Peterson and sophomore Aaron Hunter had the two goals for the Highlanders.

Coach Michael Linenberger came into today’s match knowing that the Highlanders had a very similar style of play to the Hornets, having already seen Riverside play in the Oregon State Diadora Classic in late August,

“They fight when they gotta fight and they play when they gotta play,” Linenberger said after the game. “They’ve got players who are good in the air and can fight and tackle.”

Wearing their all-white uniforms, the men’s soccer starting players swaggered onto Hornet Field to the tune of Tupac’s “California Love” to face the Highlanders. It didn’t take long for Peterson to sneak one past Hornet goalie Nick Gargiulo when in the 11th minute he volleyed the ball into the net after a deflection off a Hornet player. Ricks-Chambers goal came thirty minutes later after midfielder David Lopez got the ball to Ricks-Chambers in the box and he took a shot at goal. Riverside’s goalkeeper Charles Alamo deflected Ricks-Chambers initial hit, but didn’t grab the ball, giving the Hornet senior a chance to capitalize on offense.

“It was a good build up because I read David’s (Lopez) eyes and played it through,” Ricks-Chambers said. “At first, I thought I was offsides, but (Alamo) got a lucky save so I followed through.

For most of the final 30 minutes of the first half the Hornets controlled the ball and Linenberger said he was “extremely pleased” with how his team played during that timeframe.

“It was probably the best soccer they’ve played so far this season.”

In the second half, Highlander midfielder Erasmo Solorzano had a free kick and found Aaron Hunter who headed the ball just out of reach of Gargiulo and into the back of the net. The loss drops the Hornets to 1-4 on the season and evens their home record at 1-

The team will play Bowling Green in the second game of the Saint Mary’s Classic in Moraga at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Armando Botello II can be reached at [email protected]