SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Winger Ari Lassiter scored twice in a 14-minute span during the second half and fellow freshman Justin Dhillon added his first collegiate goal and two assists as the Cal Poly men’s soccer program opened Big West Conference action on Friday evening with a 5-1 triumph against UC Riverside inside Alex G. Spanos Stadium.

Senior forward Mackenzie Pridham and sophomore midfielder Matt LaGrassa both added goals for Cal Poly (8-3-0, 1-0-0; three points), which entered Friday’s match as the top-scoring program in Division I and then upped its season total to 32. Winners of six of their previous seven matches, the Mustangs held UC Riverside (5-3-2, 0-1-0) to just two shots on goal in winning their seventh successive Big West opener.

“It was a committed team effort and you look down the line and see many players that played with intelligence, leadership and passion tonight,” eighth-year Cal Poly head coach Paul Holocher said. “It was a great way to open Big West play.” 

Cal Poly fired off five shots inside the opening 24 minutes, but failed to place an attempt on frame until LaGrassa’s 30-yard roller and Pridham’s shot from distance were saved by UC Riverside goalkeeper K.C. John in the 24th and 25th minutes, respectively.

The Mustangs finally broke through in the 30th as Pridham – the nation’s third-leading scorer – received an upfield pass from sophomore outside back Kip Colvey and fired his team-leading ninth goal of 2013 past John.

Cal Poly, which limited UC Riverside to just two shot attempts in the opening half, found the game-winning goal on 64 minutes as Dhillon slid a cross near the goal line and off the left post to Lassiter, who punched his first goal of the night past John from two yards.

The Mustangs increased their lead to 3-0 in the 74th as LaGrassa volleyed his fifth goal of the season under the UC Riverside cross bar from 25 yards. Senior forward Chris Bernardi earned his fourth assist of the season after laying off the pass for LaGrassa.

Lassiter, second among Mustangs with five goals alongside LaGrassa, scored his second of the night three minutes later. It was Dhillon earning another assist after spreading a ball into open space for Lassiter, who ran on to the pass and charged down John for a 4-0 Mustang lead.

The Highlanders, who have lost their last five matches at Spanos Stadium, pulled a goal back in the 78th through junior forward Otis Earle. Cal Poly, however, hammered back 51 seconds from time as Dhillon scored on a breakaway goal with junior midfielder Steve Palacios providing the assist.

Cal Poly concludes its two-match home stand when facing Cal State Fullerton (3-6-0, 0-1-0) on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 3 p.m.

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