Two first half goals and a blocked penalty kick set the tone in the season opener for Detre Bell and his Cal State Bakersfield's Men's Soccer as they defeated UC Riverside 2-0 at The Main Soccer Field.
Cal State Bakersfield didn't wait long to get on the board in the 2017 season as senior captain Jamie Carey-Morrell converted on a pass from Victor Romero with a blast past the goalkeeper in the 15th minute. It was Morrell's first of the season and the seventh of his career.
In the 20th minute UC Riverside had a chance at the equalizer when a Cal State Bakersfield foul set up a penalty kick but redshirt-freshman goalkeeper Bell stymied the left-footer with a diving save to his left. That save proved to be critical as in the 35th minute Cal State Bakersfield capitalized on a UC Riverside foul when Niklas Korber netted a free kick around the wall of defenders from 22 yards out.
Bell, making his first start as a Cal State Bakersfield member collected his first career shutout as well recording four saves in the process.
The game was the last home game for Cal State Bakersfield for over a month as they head out on the road until October 1st when they return home to face Utah Valley in Western Athletic Conference action.
