LA JOLLA, Calif. ? The goal-scoring heroics of sophomores Aaron McDowell and Jared Kukura late in Friday's match against Cal State San Marcos lifted the UC San Diego men's soccer team to a 2-1 victory, the third win of the young 2008 campaign. After the Cougars (1-3-0) took a 1-0 lead off a successful penalty kick in the 85th minute, the Tritons miraculously overcame the deficit by scoring two goals before the end of regulation.
“I can't believe we got both the goals at the end there,” Kukura said. “We got the first one and then just kept pushing on offense. That was the most ridiculous ending ever and I'm just so pumped for the team.”
Less than two minutes after CSUSM forward Christian Soares knocked in a penalty kick to put the Cougars ahead, McDowell (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) corralled a rebound in the visitor's box and fired it inside the net on the near post to even the score.
Although the match seemed destined for overtime at that point, the Tritons found themselves back on the attack with a free kick opportunity from 30 yards out on the right side as the scoreboard ticked down from 00:40. With sophomore defender Josh Jackson (Torrance, Calif.) swinging a high ball into the box, Kukura (San Diego, Calif.) managed a header to arc the ball over the CSUSM goalkeeper and then drop in the bottom left corner of the net for the game winner with 36 seconds remaining. It was Kukura's first career score.
In this match, the second-ever meeting between the Cougars and Tritons, the intensity of the action remained high from start to finish and three yellow cards were given out to each squad to go along with 38 combined fouls.
“We talked all week about being able to concentrate through all 90 minutes,” UCSD head coach Jon Pascale said. “We dealt with some adversity tonight and we just stayed with it through to the end.”
Coming off the bench, McDowell's score was the second of the season. Four of the six scores so far for the Tritons have come from reserves.
Kukura put together an impressive effort on the defensive end as well, wrestling away balls from CSUSM attackers as well as blocking shots out of danger.
The Cougars held the Tritons to just one shot on goal through the first 86 minutes but the UCSD squad found its rhythm after CSUSM broke through with the late score.
Pascale and the Tritons, ranked fourth in the West Region in the latest NSCAA/adidas coaches poll, will begin their California Collegiate Athletic Association schedule on the road with matches against San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay next weekend.
