UC San Diego men’s soccer (4–9–5, 3–5–1 Big West) closed out the 2024 season with a 2–2 draw against rival UC Irvine (7–7–3, 4–3–2 Big West) on Saturday night.
The Tritons were eliminated from Big West Championship play earlier that day when UC Davis’ win over Sacramento State swiftly knocked UCSD out of the postseason schedule. The match bumped the Hornets and the Tritons down to No. 9 and No. 8 in the Big West, respectively. The Tritons went into the rivalry match with nothing to lose and played an explosive first half to try to crush UCI’s postseason hopes.
Fresh off of a three-game losing streak, the Tritons were anxious for a win — even though postseason play was no longer on the table. UCI’s postseason fate, however, was yet to be decided.
“We talked to the team in the locker room [and said], ‘Don’t make the mistake of thinking there’s nothing to play for. There’s a lot to play for,’” Head Coach Jon Pascale said in a post-game interview with The UCSD Guardian. “You get to play for pride and each other, which are probably the two most important things you could ever play [for].”
The game was also an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of the eight seniors playing their last matches as Tritons.
Despite the pouring rain, UCSD started the game off strong with junior midfielder Adam Hillis sending a long ball down the field and setting the tone for the match. He fired the home team’s first attempt of the night, but UCI’s goalkeeper made the save.
Senior forward Max Carvalho looped a shot towards the goal and missed. He kept up the pressure, and his second shot proved successful. Assisted by graduate student midfielder Andrew Valverde, Carvalho slotted the ball into the goal to put the Tritons on the scoreboard in the eighth minute of the game.
The home team kept up their momentum and controlled the ball in the minutes that followed. Hillis set up Valverde, who dodged the Anteaters in the box to nudge the ball past the goalkeeper in the 10th minute.
Valverde, Carvalho, and Hillis had put UCSD up 2–0 within the first 11 minutes of the match. It was an excellent start for a team that had been shut out in the past two games.
Unfortunately, UCSD was unable to keep the early lead, as a handful of corner kicks helped the Anteaters put pressure on the Tritons. UCI dominated in shot attempts, making four more before landing one in the 23rd minute to bring the score to 2–1.
With five minutes left, the Anteaters slotted the ball just out of reach of senior goalkeeper Nolan Premack to level the game at 2–2.
By halftime, UCI had taken 11 shots to UCSD’s five and eliminated the home team’s early lead. With an even playing field, it was anybody’s game to win.
The Tritons fought bitterly for another goal, determined to rob UCI of the win that would secure them a spot in the postseason schedule. The match was a hectic one; the wet conditions caused slide tackles and lost footing which continually haunted both teams. Freshman forward Ryan Namdar pushed through the driving rain to put on an impressive performance and sent a powerful shot straight into the post, just inches off his target. The score remained locked at 2–2.
Stakes were high: if UCSD put away 1 more goal, UCI’s season would have also ended on that rainy, cold night in the Triton Soccer Stadium.
Senior midfielder Carter Jacobus and junior midfielder Bryce Barnum sent crosses into the Anteaters’ box but couldn’t put the ball away as the minutes left in the game dwindled. Valverde continued to create problems for UCI’s defense with a shot attempt and steals.
Senior midfielder Connor Place, Jacobus, Carvalho, and Valverde made four shot attempts in four minutes, but the UCI defense denied them a game-deciding goal.
The final two minutes saw two last-ditch attempts to score. With the clock ticking, a UCI defender shot the ball towards the center of the home team’s goal. Premack caught it easily from the middle, and the Tritons raced up the field in the last minute of the half to make one final attempt at turning the tide in their favor. Moments later, redshirt freshman midfielder Quinn Sellers headed the ball towards the goal in the last five seconds of play, but UCI’s goalkeeper made the save and ended the Tritons’ hopes of breaking the tie.
The home team attempted 12 shots in the second half and the Anteaters managed six, but none resulted in a goal. The game ended in a 2–2 draw.
Friends and family poured out from the bleachers to congratulate the Tritons on the field. The UCSD men’s soccer season had officially come to an end. The eight seniors walked out of the Triton Soccer Stadium for the last time ever in the pouring rain.
“We knew how much the guys love each other, especially the seniors. It was their last game, so we just asked them to leave it on the field and empty the tank,” Pascale said. “And if anybody watched the game, they can certainly see that they did that.”
This season, UCSD fell from No. 2 in the Big West to No. 8, the same slot they ended in the previous year. With the transition to Division I status completed, this season was the first in which the men’s soccer team was eligible to compete in the postseason for a spot at the NCAA Division I Championships. Although they missed the playoffs this year, it’s still early in the Tritons’ postseason eligibility. UCSD will be back next season to fight their way to a higher rank.
UCI’s bid to defend their Big West Champion title will kick off on home turf with the first-round match against Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday, Nov. 6. The champions will be determined in the Big West final on Nov. 15.
