UC Riverside hosted California Baptist University on Saturday, Sept. 26, in the first conference game between Riverside's two Division I universities. The women's soccer match opened the city's new Crosstown Showdown, and CBU won 2-0 in 100-degree heat at UCR Soccer Stadium.
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, a proud Highlander, was at the match. Asked at halftime about CBU's lead, she said, "The mayor's office is team Riverside." Her office launched the Showdown with both universities, the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce and Visit Riverside.
The schools have played each other for years, but never with conference standing on the line. CBU joined the Big West Conference on July 1. The move puts the rivalry in rare company: two Division I universities in the same city and the same conference.
CBU has owned the series lately. Saturday's win was the Lancers' third straight over UCR and improved their all-time record against the Highlanders to 5-1-1.
Conference play raises the stakes. Games between the schools now count in the Big West standings, which decide who makes the conference tournament and where they're seeded. The tournament champion earns an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. A crosstown result could decide who goes. That is how friendly rivalries turn bitter.
The Showdown runs through spring across 14 events. Each result earns points, and the school with the most at season's end takes home a new championship trophy.
Canopies over the bleachers offered little relief from the heat. The heat slowed the play on the field and wore on the crowd. Heat will be a factor in future Showdown matchups. Still, the bleachers were mostly full.
CBU had an early goal by Tyra King called back in the ninth minute. Bella D'Amico put the Lancers ahead in the 15th, finishing a pass from Jessica Ramirez. Six minutes later, Ramirez set up Anja Jestrovic to make it 2-0.
The Lancers had six straight shutouts before a 2-1 loss at Cal Poly in their Big West opener Sept. 23. Against UCR, the shutout came down to the final minutes. The Highlanders earned a penalty kick, but CBU's Rebecca Winton, who replaced the injured Mikayla O'Brien in goal, blocked it. As the horn sounded, UCR put a header into the net, but officials ruled time had already expired.
The series continues Oct. 10, when the men's teams meet at CBU. The 7 p.m. start should keep the focus on the game and off the weather.
