LA JOLLA, Calif. ? Senior Grant Nishio netted his sixth goal of the season just over four minutes into the first overtime period to give the 19th-ranked UC San Diego men's soccer team a thrilling victory on Senior Night at Triton soccer field. With the win the Tritons conclude their regular season with an 11-4-2 overall record and an 8-4-2 mark in California Collegiate Athletic Association play. The loss ends CSULA's season with a 9-9-0 overall record and a 6-8-0 mark in league play.
Nishio's goal came off a pass from fellow senior Matt Davey who picked up his sixth assist of the season. Nishio took the pass near the top right corner of the penalty area and slammed the ball past Patrick Fry for the golden goal.
The game was forced to overtime after neither team was able to find the back of the net despite 13 shots for UCSD and eight for the Golden Eagles in regulation. The Tritons let a terrific opportunity slip away with one second remaining in regulation as CSULA was whistled for a hand ball violation in the penalty box. Davey's ensuing penalty kick went high and hit the cross bar to end the second half of play.
UCSD senior netminder Edward Ruhland made two saves in his final regular season home game, notching his sixth shutout of the season in the process. Fry, his counterpart, made five saves on the evening.
42 fouls were called in the physical match, 23 of which went against the Golden Eagles. Five yellow cards were assessed, only one of which went to a UCSD player. The Tritons took one more corner kick on the evening, holding a 4-3 advantage in that statistical category.
Head coach Derek Armstrong and his team head to Turlock, Calif., next week for the CCAA Soccer Championships that will be hosted by Cal State Stanislaus on November 4-6. The Tritons enter the tournament with the No. 3 seed will face second-seeded Sonoma State at 11 a.m. on Friday. Top-seeded Cal State Dominguez Hills will play Cal State San Bernardino in the other semifinal match at 1:30 p.m. The winners of each semifinal match will play for the CCAA title at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
