Charn Hong
UC San Diego men’s soccer (0-7-6, 0-1-4 Big West) tied UC Santa Barbara (4-4-6, 2-0-3 Big West) 1-1 in a tense match at Triton Soccer Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 15. This tie marked the 17th consecutive game the Tritons have failed to secure a win — a program record.
Despite constant offensive pressure and a UCSB red card in the 55th minute, UCSD’s efforts were hindered by a poor defensive giveaway that allowed the Gauchos to take the lead 15 minutes later. A late equalizer from freshman midfielder Adam Dunbar gave the Tritons hope, but UCSD was ultimately unable to break the stalemate.
UCSD kicked off the match with a commanding presence across the pitch, putting pressure on the Gaucho back line. With crosses entering the attacking third nearly every possession and close efforts at goal from graduate student midfielder Cole Barrett and redshirt junior forward Brian Arens, a Triton goal seemed inevitable. In the 25th minute, UCSD’s pressure culminated in a thunderous shot from senior midfielder James Redington, which forced a save from the UCSB freshman goalkeeper Owen Beninga.
UCSD was similarly excellent on the defensive side of the ball. Spearheaded by redshirt junior defender Evan Wellerstein, the Tritons kept the Gauchos out of their defending box for most of the game.
UCSD’s domination continued in the second half, as the Tritons maintained their sharp possessive game in pursuit of a crucial first goal. Their chance came in the 55th minute, when a mistimed tackle outside the 18-yard box earned Beninga a red card.
Now with the numerical advantage, the Tritons pushed even harder to score. Graduate student midfielder Cole Barrett came close with an off-the-post attempt that was quickly followed by shots from Redington and Dunbar. However, this momentum came to a halt when a poor giveaway by the Triton defense in the 70th minute provided a golden opportunity for Gaucho junior midfielder Kaden Standish to shoot, curling it perfectly into the top left corner to give UCSB the advantage.
The Gauchos shifted their defense after the goal, dropping back to protect their lead and prevent an equalizer. Despite high possession and a one-man advantage, the Tritons seemed unable to break through UCSB’s defensive line.
Just when another Triton loss seemed inevitable, a well-placed through ball from Wellerstein found Dunbar inside the box. After a few touches to get himself in position, Dunbar fired a powerful shot right past the goalkeeper’s near post, scoring for the Tritons in the 81st minute.
“It felt good to finally be able to celebrate with the team, celebrate with the fans, because that’s what we do it for,” Dunbar said to The UCSD Guardian in a postgame interview. “We do it for you guys.”
The late goal opened the door to a frenzied final 10 minutes of scoring attempts from both sides — including a 60-yard Gaucho effort to catch redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Nic Thiele off his line. The Tritons proved unable to break the deadlock, falling short of claiming their first win of the season.
“You know, you just keep going,” head coach Jon Pascale said to The Guardian. “You keep pushing. I know it’s coming, and I’m looking forward to getting back out Saturday night.”
Despite their struggles, the Tritons are only one point behind sixth-place UC Davis in the conference standings. The top six teams during the regular season will compete in the Big West Championship in November.
The Tritons will travel north to face Cal State Northridge on Saturday, Oct. 18, for their sixth conference match of the season before returning to Triton Soccer Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 22, to take on Cal State Bakersfield.