RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The UC Riverside Highlanders men’s soccer team lost a close match to the Cal State Fullerton Titans by a score of 1-0 on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at the UCR Soccer Stadium. Despite taking a season-high 15 shots, including nine on goal, UC Riverside was unable to find the back of the net against the visiting Titans.
The lone goal of the match came in the 74th minute off a set piece by Jose de la Torre. UC Riverside’s defense limited Cal State Fullerton to just six shots, with only two on target throughout the game.
In the final ten minutes, the Highlanders pushed aggressively to equalize. Santiago Barros Schelotto nearly scored on a set piece in the 80th minute, but his shot sailed above the crossbar. Later, Eric Martinez and Diego Ramirez both had promising attempts in the 86th and 87th minutes, but Cal State Fullerton goalkeeper Max Leviton made crucial saves to maintain the clean sheet.
Center back Matti Richter commented after the game, “Overall, I think we played them very well. We had opportunities but could not cash in.” Head coach Tim Cupello echoed this sentiment, saying, “I thought our guys played really well. They came out strong early on and created a lot of really good looks and unfortunately did not finish those chances.”
The Highlanders will next face No. 21 Oregon State in a Pac-12 Conference matchup on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 7 p.m. That game will be streamed live on the Pac-12 YouTube channel.
CSB Take
UC Riverside’s strong offensive effort, highlighted by a season-high shot total, was not enough to overcome Cal State Fullerton’s tight defense and timely goal. The close score and defensive resilience affirm that the Highlanders are competitive but must improve their finishing consistency to capitalize on scoring chances. The upcoming road game against a ranked Oregon State team presents an important opportunity for UC Riverside to translate their solid play into a victory and build momentum within conference competition.
Source: Original report
