LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The UC San Diego men's soccer team got a golden goal from freshman Tony Choi in the fourth minute of double overtime for a thrilling 1-0 victory over 15th-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills on Tuesday night at Triton Soccer Field.
With the win UCSD improves to 3-1-1 overall and 2-0-1 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play. The Tritons take over sole control of first place in the CCAA South Division, knocking the Toros out of that position they held entering the contest as CSUDH falls to 6-1-0 overall and 2-1-0 in league action.
After both teams played to a scoreless tie in the 90 minutes of regulation play, both teams were only able to manage one shot apiece in the first overtime. The Tritons were the only team to get off a shot in the second OT and it was Choi that made it count. The freshman from Folsom, Calif., took a deflected Tom Winkler corner kick and slammed the ball into the back left corner of the net for the game winner just 3:24 into the second overtime.
The shot was only the seventh of the match for the Tritons, who managed only three shots after halftime.
CSUDH took 19 shots on the night, only four of which were on goal. UCSD netminder Luis Salazar made those four saves in regulation play, two in each half.
Conversely, three of UCSD's seven shots were on the mouth of the goal, CSUDH goalkeeper Kyle Polak made two saves in the match, one coming in the second half and the other coming in the first overtime period.
The goal for Choi was his second of the season. His first came in the 3-2 loss to Seattle University at home on September 5. The assist was Winkler's third of the year. Salazar picks up his second shutout of the season, the first of which came in the season opener against Grand Canyon.
CSUDH still leads the all-time series with UCSD, but the Tritons draw a game closer as the Toros now hold a 6-3-2 advantage. However, since the 2003 season, head coach Derek Armstrong's squad has a 3-2-2 record against CSUDH.
UCSD now heads out on the road for two critical CCAA matches with North Division foes. The Tritons will play at Cal State Stanislaus on Friday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. before traveling to Chico for a 3 p.m. match at Chico State on Sunday afternoon.
