After winning his 300th career game Oct. 15, men’s soccer head coach Derek Armstrong was optimistic about the remainder of the season. “We will win a few more,” Armstrong said. That is exactly what the Tritons did on Oct. 17 in a 1-0 double-overtime win against Cal State Stanislaus at RIMAC Field, and it is what they plan to do for the next four games before the California Collegiate Athletics Association playoffs begin. Armstrong’s inspirational words seem to have struck a chord with the Tritons, who bounced back from a two-game losing streak with back-to-back wins to spark a fire under the squad as playoffs approach.
Guardian file
One of the team’s losses was to Cal State San Bernardino in a crushing 2-1 double-overtime defeat that destroyed Triton morale.
This week, however, UCSD was on the other end of the stick, handing the Warriors an overtime loss in the 103rd minute, when junior forward Jon Krupansky headed a pass from junior midfielder Matt Davey through the posts and past Warrior goalkeeper Jose Mando Herrera.
Herrera played remarkably well, considering that the Tritons outshot the Warriors, 15-4.
UCSD senior goalkeepers Edward Ruhland and Scott Mazurier combined for a shutout win. The Tritons have not allowed a goal in two games thanks to a combination of steadfast goalkeeping, clever defense and an aggressive offense that has kept opponents on their heels.
UCSD needs to maintain this level of play if it plans on making the CCAA Championship.
“It’s win or go home,” senior defenseman/midfielder Nick Marquand said. “If we lose a game right now, we can pretty much write off the playoffs. It’s kind of like a single-game elimination tournament.”
Although the Tritons face tough competition in the next four games, if they can keep shutting out opponents and coming up with clutch goals, they have a chance to roll right into the CCAA Finals.
The matchup against the Warriors was a physical game. UCSD committed 14 fouls to the Warriors’ 16, which included one in the second overtime that led to the winning goal. The Tritons also played an aggressive offense, outshooting the Warriors and beating them in corner kicks, 10-2.
This type of dominating play has emerged during the Tritons’ last two games, against the Warriors and Chico State.
“This weekend against Chico and Stanislaus, with the two shutouts, just proves how solid our defense is,” Marquand said.
With the win, UCSD ups its record to 7-2-3 overall and 6-2-2 in league play. Its CCAA record is good enough for a No. 3 ranking in the South Division, behind Cal State Bakersfield and the undefeated Toros of Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Tritons will face both teams in the upcoming weeks; however, they must travel to Carson, Calif., to play the Toros on the road on Oct. 23. Although the Toros are undefeated, the Tritons held them to a scoreless tie in a Sept. 22 contest.
As for the Roadrunners, UCSD must hope for the same outcome as the last time they played in Bakersfield, Calif., on Sept. 19. The Tritons managed a 1-0 win against Cal State Bakersfield, but the team has improved steadily since then, and the upcoming Oct. 30 match at RIMAC Field will be crucial for the Tritons.
“The wins weren’t pretty, but a win’s a win,” Marquand said.
No matter how they do it, the Tritons need to win their next four games, the first of which was scheduled for Oct. 20, but was delayed on account of rain.
