Rivas played a crucial role as the Toros took two non-conference victories last week over Cal State San Marcos and 6th-ranked Seattle Pacific University.
Against San Marcos last Monday, Rivas helped get CSUDH on the board with an assist on the game's first goal at the 4:16 mark, and then doubled his pleasure five days later by scoring both goals in a 2-1 win over 6th-ranked Seattle Pacific last Saturday.
In the national showdown, Rivas kept himself in scoring position all game, with that effort paying dividends in the 38th minute when he took a deflection from the SPU keeper and tapped in his shot far post for a 1-0 lead. After the Falcons leveled the game at 66:02, Rivas gave the Toros the win just 69 seconds later as he collected a through ball and flicked it home for the game-winner. Of Rivas' eight shots on the week, four were on goal and two found paydirt.
