Guarino's Late Goal Lifts CSUN Past UC Riverside, 1-0

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

Sophomore Bret Guarino netted her first career goal in the 84th minute and CSUN Women's Soccer (6-4-5, 2-1-1 BWC) registered a 1-0 Big West Conference win over UC Riverside (6-8-2, 3-1) on Thursday evening at UCR Soccer Stadium. Cynthia Sanchez and Amy Aquino led the way with three shots apiece for the Matadors. In net, senior Jovani McCaskill registered her 26th career shutout and fifth of the year. The Matadors' win on Thursday is their first in UC Riverside since 2009.

"It was a great game. Both teams went back and forth but we got a goal and they didn't and that was the difference. We had an outstanding effort tonight and great energy throughout the match," said head coach Keith West. "I think any win in the Big West Conference is a great win, especially away from home but tonight was an unbelievably huge win."

The Matadors finished with 13 shots on the night compared to the Highlanders' six and posted five of their shots on goal. UC Riverside earned five of the seven corner kicks in the match but earned no shots on frame.

Despite leading in the shot department, the Matadors and Highlanders battled to a standstill for nearly the full 90 minutes on Thursday. The Highlanders registered two early corner kicks including a shot from Nerisse Bugho in the opening eight minutes but were unsuccessful in breaking through.

Sanchez collected CSUN's first shot in the 15th minute and both Kirsten Von Meter and Sylvia Trinh followed with attempts that just missed the mark. CSUN finished with five shots in the first half following a late attempt from Amanda Martin that was blocked. On the flip side, the Matadors allowed just two attempts as well as none over the final 20 minutes of the period.

In the second half, following a header from Giselle Preciado that went high, Aquino put a shot on goal but goalkeeper Annie Bailey was there to make the save. The Highlanders would have perhaps their best look at the net in the 51st minute as Ashley Webb struck the Matadors' crossbar leading to a corner kick.

The Matadors would survive the Highlanders' strike and go back on the attack minutes later. CSUN collected four-straight shots including looks from Aquino and Amber Edemann that were both stopped by Bailey in between the posts. Bailey would save another in the 71st minute off an attack from Marissa Favela.

Outshooting the Highlanders 8-4 in the second half, the Matadors finally hit the back of the net at the 83:30 mark. Off a corner kick, Favela deposited the ball into a crowd inside the box. A scramble would ensue as both sides looked to take control of the ball, however Destinney Duron gained possession and headed a pass to Guarino from 10 yards out. Guarino finished the play for her first goal in 31 career matches.

CSUN's defense held on over the final moments, limiting the Highlanders to one shot over the final 16 minutes. UC Riverside earned a late corner kick in the 86th minute but no shot was taken.

The Matadors' backline of Martin, Edemann, Lindsay Kutscher and Christina Nixon played the full 90 minutes while Favela and Von Meter also saw every minute on the field in the midfield.

Behind the defense, McCaskill's 26th career clean sheet moves her into a virtual second-place tie on the Matadors' career shutout list with Jenny Willemse (1998-01) who was credited with 26.5 shutouts in her career. With one more shutout, McCaskill would tie assistant coach Cynthia Rosas' (Jacobo) CSUN record of 27. McCaskill also moved into third place on the Matadors' all-time minutes list with 4,924.

CSUN continues its road trip on Sunday with a matchup in Hawai'i. Kick off is slated for 4 p.m. (PT).

Guarino's Late Goal Lifts CSUN Past UC Riverside, 1-0

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Team Stats

Bret Guarino

Destinney Duron

Cynthia Sanchez

Amy Aquino

Players Mentioned

Amy Aquino

Destinney Duron

Amber Edemann

Marissa Favela

Bret Guarino

Lindsay Kutscher

Amanda Martin

Jovani McCaskill

Christina Nixon

Cynthia Sanchez

Sylvia Trinh

Kirsten Von Meter