LA JOLLA, Calif. - The UC San Diego men's soccer team knocked in a goal just three minutes into regulation and despite playing shorthanded for more than half of Sunday's match, added a second-half score to secure a 2-0 home victory over Cal State East Bay.
"We did great at focusing in after the red card," UCSD head coach Jon Pascale said. "We didn't let it get to us and we did a good job of preventing them from getting good looks at the goal."
The Tritons, 7-3-4 overall and 4-3-3 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play, have won three straight matches as they push toward a tough road week featuring contests against defending national champion Cal State Dominguez Hills and No. 1 Cal State L.A. CSUEB, the newest member of the CCAA, continues to struggle in 2009 at 1-13 overall and 0-10 through conference action.
The UCSD offense got rolling early as junior midfielder Aaron McDowell tallied his first score of the season at the 3:07 mark. On the play senior midfielder Jonathan Sawyer sent a free kick into the box. The ball bounced off a Pioneers' defender and over to the left side, where McDowell powered a header to the right of CSUEB freshman goalkeeper Cesar Villa. Sawyer earned the assist, his second of 2009.
Despite the Tritons outshooting the Pioneers 10-3 in the first half, the momentum came to a halt when UCSD junior forward Mikel Samaniego was sent off the pitch with a caution on a hard tackle at the 35:10 mark.
With UCSD a man down, the play evened out in the second half to a 14-10 Tritons' shot advantage. One of the better chances for the Pioneers came at the 68:13 mark when CSUEB sophomore forward Arnoldo Mendoza sent a high shot from the left side toward the net. UCSD senior goalkeeper Peter Akman was able to make the save amid a swarm of activity in the box. Immediately after grabbing the ball, Akman was knocked to the ground by a Pioneers' attacker, drawing the foul and ending any further chances.
The Tritons broke through for a second score in the 77th minute, easing the match's tension with an isurance goal. Charging up to the 18, junior midfielder Shane Micheil sent a pass to freshman midfielder Kian Malek on the right side. Pushing the ball to the right of his defender, Malek fired a shot along the ground past Villa to earn UCSD a 2-0 lead and record his second score this season.
Akman collected three saves en route to his sixth shutout of 2009.
The Tritons travel to play Cal State Dominguez Hills Friday at 4:30 p.m. CSUDH sits in second place in the CCAA South Division at 7-4-1 in league play.
