THE SCHEDULE
NCAA Championship First Round
No. 19 Dixie State (15-3) vs. Western Washington (9-4-4)
Friday, Nov. 11 • 12 p.m.
Triton Soccer Stadium • La Jolla
Live Video • Live Stats
Match 21 - NCAA Championship Second Round
vs. No. 19 Dixie State (15-3) or Western Washington (9-4-4)
Sunday, Nov. 13 • 12 p.m.
Triton Soccer Stadium • La Jolla
Live Video • Live Stats
NO. 10 UC SAN DIEGO BEGINS #ROADTOKC AT HOME
After six straight games on the road and eight of its last 10, the 10th-ranked University of California San Diego men's soccer team finally returns home this weekend to kick off the 2016 NCAA Division II Championship. The California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) double champion Tritons (16-2-2) are the No. 2 seed in the West half of the Super Region 3. No. 3 seed Dixie State (15-3), the Pacific West Conference, takes on sixth-seeded Western Washington (9-4-4) on Friday, Nov. 11. UC San Diego awaits the winner in the second round on Sunday, Nov. 13. Both matches are set for 12 p.m. starts at Triton Soccer Stadium on North Campus in La Jolla.
UCSD is the CCAA's double champion, having added a first tournament title last Sunday in Turlock, to its first conference crown. The Tritons are an undefeated 9-0-1 at home in 2016, and are hosting NCAA postseason activity for the first time since 2013's run to the West Region final.
TRITON SOCCER NOW ON UCSDTRITONS.TV!
For the very first time, all matches at Triton Soccer Stadium in 2016 feature a live video stream on UCSDtritons.tv. The platform, the product of a partnership between UC San Diego Athletics and local broadband services and technology giant ViaSat, is in its first full year. All broadcasts are in multi-camera high definition, and can be viewed from smartphones and tablets alongside desktop and laptop computers. UC San Diego alum and former baseball pitcher (2007-08) Tim Strombel (@Timmy2Sides) handles the play-by-play duties, and welcomes an array of guests. Viewing is subscription-based, though it is free from UCSD campus IP addresses. A package that gives viewers access to all streamed events (baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, water polo and more) throughout the 2016-17 academic year is available for $34.99. A single-day option can be purchased for $5.99, meaning doubleheaders are two-for-one. Events are archived.
FREE VIEWING THIS WEEK
All four NCAA Championship women's and men's games this week will be FREE on UCSDtritons.tv, in high definition, with the archived broadcasts also able to be accessed without charge. Tim Strombel will call UCSD's matches on Saturday and Sunday.
MORE LIVE COVERAGE
All games have live stats. Select road matches also have video. Fans can access live coverage from the Schedule/Results page, or by clicking on the links above. Starting lineups, live in-game updates and other news and notes can be found by following Triton Soccer all season long on the UCSD Athletics Twitter handle (@UCSDtritons).
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TICKET INFO
Tickets for the 2016 NCAA Championship can be purchased at Triton Soccer Stadium on the day of the game, beginning one hour prior to kickoff time, meaning 11 a.m. all week. Tickets are $8 for general admission, and $5 for seniors (65+), children (7+) and students with valid identification. Children under seven are admitted free of charge. Parking is free on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week. The nearest parking lots are behind the spectator stand, as well as the Hopkins Parking Structure adjacent to RIMAC.
FIRST 200 UCSD STUDENTS FREE ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
The first 200 UCSD students to arrive for the Tritons' women's and men's NCAA second-round games this Saturday and Sunday, respectively, each at 12 p.m., gain free entry on North Campus.
IN MEMORIAM
Both UC San Diego soccer teams will be wearing a special patch on their jerseys this weekend, in remembrance of Sean Pleskow, who tragically passed away over the weekend. Pleskow was a two-year member of the Tritons in 2014-15, as was older brother Will (2012-13).
NATIONAL POLL
UC San Diego remained a season-best 10th in Tuesday's final regular-season National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll. The Tritons debuted at No. 21 on Sept. 20, before falling into the receiving votes category just outside of the top 25, for two weeks. The initial No. 21 appearance marked UCSD's first national ranking since a No. 9 listing in the 2014 preseason, which was also its last time in the top 10.
SUPER REGION 3 (WEST)
Joining UCSD, Dixie State and Western Washington on the other side of the Super Region 3 (West) in Seattle, Wash., are third-ranked top seed Simon Fraser, fourth-seeded Sonoma State and fifth-seeded reigning West champion Cal Poly Pomona. Simon Fraser will take on CPP at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The Broncos blanked Sonoma State, 2-0, on Thursday afternoon. The three teams on the La Jolla side are in fact all searching for a very first NCAA Division II Championship victory, with UCSD 0-1-3 in three prior trips and Dixie State and Western Washington both debutants.
NCAA DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
UCSD will be making its fourth NCAA Division II Championship appearance when it takes the field this Sunday, and third in the last four seasons under Jon Pascale. The Tritons are still searching for their first victory in the Division II tourney, 0-1-3 in their three prior trips. They have played to three successive 1-1 ties, the first two in 2013. UCSD advanced past Chico State on penalty kicks in the second round at home after a first-round bye, before getting knocked out in the same fashion by Simon Fraser in Denver, Colo., in the third round. In 2014, Cal State LA outlasted the Tritons on penalties, 5-4, in Azusa in the first round. UCSD was eliminated by Chico State in its Division II championship debut, 2-0, on Nov. 14, 2003, allowing two late goals in the Far West Regional semifinal at Toro Field in Carson. Before that, UCSD went 26-10-4 (.700) in 15 NCAA Division III Championship appearances between 1983-99. That history includes three national titles in 1988, 1991 and 1993.
NCAA Division II Championship
2014 - Cougar Soccer Complex, Azusa
First Round - UC San Diego 1, Cal State LA 1 (2OT) (CSULA advanced on penalty kicks, 5-4)
2013 - Regis University Match Pitch, Denver, Colo.
Third Round - UC San Diego 1, Simon Fraser 1 (2OT) (SFU advanced on penalty kicks, 4-3)
2013 - Triton Soccer Stadium, La Jolla
Second Round - UC San Diego 1, Chico State 1 (2OT) (UCSD advanced on penalty kicks, 5-4)
2003 - Toro Field, Carson
Far West Regional Semifinal - Chico State 2, UC San Diego 0
TRITONS COMPLETE DOUBLE IN DRAMATIC FASHION
Top-seeded UCSD rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit to down No. 2 seed Sonoma State 2-1 in overtime in the CCAA Tournament final last Sunday afternoon in Turlock, adding a first-ever tourney banner to its first-ever league title. True freshman Jonathan Stoop picked a fine time for his first collegiate goal, leveling the score at 1-1 in the 66th minute off an overhead kick from a Uly de la Cal throw-in. Playing a man up after a Seawolf red card late in regulation, the Tritons found the winner at 93:30, with senior Sam Palano firing home after a fine run and pass by Malek Bashti down the right flank. Justice Duerksen had scored the lone goal in the 55th minute of a 1-0 shutout over Cal State San Bernardino in Friday's semifinal. Palano was the CCAA Tournament Most Valuable Offensive Player, with Kuba Waligorski the Most Valuable Defensive Player. Joining them on the All-Tournament Team were de la Cal, Duerksen, Riley Harbour and goalie Cameron McElfresh.
EIGHT EARN CCAA RECOGNITION
Eight Triton players earned some type of postseason recognition from the CCAA, led by senior goalkeeper Cameron McElfresh as the CCAA Defensive Player of the Year. Jon Pascale was the CCAA Coach of the Year for the third time in his nine years. McElfresh was joined on the All-CCAA First Team by Riley Harbour and Kuba Waligorski. Making the second team were Justice Duerksen, Sam Palano and Kelvin Uribe. Malek Bashti and Nolan Mac picked up All-CCAA honorable mentions.
HISTORY! UCSD RALLIES FOR FIRST-EVER CCAA CROWN
With two goals over the final 4:27 of regulation, UCSD snatched the 2016 CCAA championship from reigning West Region champion Cal Poly Pomona on its own field on Oct. 29. Trailing 1-0 and headed toward third place and a No. 3 seed, the Tritons earned a penalty kick through a foul on Justice Duerksen. Duerksen's attempt was saved by the goalkeeper, but the senior winger hammered home the rebound at 85:33. With overtime looming, super sub Christian Cordell's one-touch, left-footed shot managed to find the target from close range at 88:06, after Duerksen's corner kick had been parried by the goalie. The result gave the Tritons, picked fifth in the preseason coaches' poll, the outright title, with their 28 points outdistancing Sonoma State (26) and pushing CPP (25) to third. The Tritons had clinched a fourth successive CCAA Tournament berth with a 3-0 win at Cal State East Bay on Oct. 21.
RETURN TO PREMIER DEFENSE
UCSD has allowed 10 goals over 1872:13, for a goals-against average of 0.48, which ranks third in all of the NCAA Division II. Six have come from the run of play, with three penalties and one free kick. The Tritons are second in save percentage (.859) and tied for third in shutout percentage (0.60). The team's longest shutout stretch of the year has been 513:54 through four-plus clean sheets, with two more of 356:51 and 353:12. The Tritons boasted one of the top seven defenses nationally in Division II in terms of team GAA for three straight seasons between 2012-14, but fell back to the 48th spot a year ago (1.09). They led the country in that category in 2012 with a then-CCAA-record mark of 0.44, before finishing fourth in 2013 (0.52) and seventh in 2014 (0.65). The CCAA standard is 0.415 (Cal State LA in 2014), with the program record 0.42 (1990).
McELFRESH AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
Cameron McElfresh is fourth in the entire nation with his career-best goals-against average of 0.493, and is second in save percentage (.855).
HOME DOMINANCE UNDER PASCALE
UC San Diego completed its regular-season home schedule an unbeaten 9-0-1, after going 5-1-2 inside the friendly confines in 2015. Under Jon Pascale over eight-plus years, the Tritons are 55-20-15 (.694) in La Jolla. They are 11-0-2 in their last 13 at Triton Soccer Stadium, since a 2-1 loss to Stanislaus State on Sept. 27, 2015. UCSD has thus not lost at home in over a full calendar year.
OFFENSE MUCH IMPROVED
UC San Diego has a CCAA-leading 34 goals over 20 games in 2016, after managing just 15 in 18 matches a year ago. The Tritons struck twice in both of their first two matches, having not produced multiple scores in back-to-back games even once in 2015. UCSD then hit for six on Sept. 10 against Saint Martin's, achieving its first 6-0 scoreline since another home defeat, that one over Cal State East Bay, in the 2010 finale (Oct. 31). Five of those goals came before the break, marking the first period of play for the Tritons with five goals, since the second frame of that East Bay matchup. UCSD scored twice in successive games Oct. 7-9, and strung together a season-best stretch of three contests with multiple goals, Oct. 16-23, for the first time since a four-gamer, Sept. 9-18, 2014.
LIGHTS-OUT DEFENSE
The nation's No. 3-ranked defense has consisted the past 10 games, and last 13 of 14, of senior captain Kuba Waligorski and true freshman Kelvin Uribe at center back, junior Nolan Mac at left back, and redshirt sophomore Jeff Powers at right back. Junior Kyle Panganiban started the first six contests next to Waligorski prior to suffering an injury. Fifth-year senior Brett Sampiere played all 90 minutes of the season opener vs. Azusa Pacific (9/1) at right back, but has been hurt since. Junior newcomer Steven Ortiz played the full 90 minutes vs. Westmont (9/3) and Saint Martin's (9/10) at left back, with sophomore Quinn Allan also filling in as an injury replacement at left back (10/2). Of the 20 games so far, the defensive central midfield role has been occupied by sophomore Matt Merrill 14 times, and true freshman Jonathan Stoop on six occasions.
RALLY TRITONS
Six times in 2016, UCSD has surrendered a game's first score before rallying for a 2-1 victory via late goals, including the last four times now away from home. The Tritons achieved the feat twice at home to begin the year. Sam Palano volleyed in the 68th-minute equalizer and turned provider for twin brother Nick Palano with just 1:41 left in the second overtime to down Azusa Pacific on Sept. 1. Then it was Riley Harbour's hero turn on Sept. 3 against Westmont, as he slotted home his first of the year in the 79th minute, after Uly de la Cal had tied the match late in the first half. On Oct. 7 at SF State, Justice Duerksen converted a penalty kick at 78:57 to level the score in a contest with giant postseason implications. He then produced a perfect cross for de la Cal to flick home for the decider at 81:08. Duerksen's cross set up Christian Cordell's equalizing header in the 66th at Stanislaus State on Oct. 21, before Kuba Waligorski put the Warriors away 3:12 into overtime. On Oct. 29, two goals in the last 4:27 of regulation wrecked reigning West Region champion Cal Poly Pomona's CCAA title hopes, as Duerksen put in the rebound of his own saved penalty at 85:33, and provided the corner-kick service for Cordell's decisive tap-in at 88:06. Most recently on Nov. 6 in Turlock, Jonathan Stoop's first college goal in the 66th tied matters with Sonoma State, before Palano was again the hero at 93:30 of overtime.
OVERTIME FORTUNES OVERTURNED
The double-overtime triumph over Azusa Pacific on Sept. 1 marked UCSD's first overtime win since Malek Bashti's first collegiate goal took down rival Chico State in the 2013 CCAA semifinals in Turlock. The Tritons went 0-1-12 in overtime contests in 2014 and 2015, with 12 straight draws since, ironically, a 1-0 double-overtime loss to APU in La Jolla on Sept. 20, 2014. They have added three more overtimes victories, 1-0 at home against Humboldt State on Oct. 2, 2-1 at Stanislaus State on Oct. 21, and 2-1 over Sonoma State in the CCAA final in Turlock in Nov. 6. UCSD is 4-0-2 in extras.
STREAK STUFF
UCSD's seven-game win streak, which was snapped by a 3-1 defeat at Cal State San Bernardino on Oct. 27, was its longest since another seven-gamer from Sept. 20-Oct. 11, 2013. The nine-game unbeaten run of 8-0-1 was the Tritons' best under ninth-year head coach Jon Pascale, and the program's lengthiest single-season unbeaten stretch of the NCAA Division II era, since 2000. UCSD was unbeaten for 10 straight games (8-0-2) over two seasons, from Oct. 12, 2007, to Sept. 17, 2008, and previously for nine (8-0-1) during the 1999 campaign, it's final one in Division III, from Sept. 22-Oct. 22. The Tritons also won four in a row on the road, before that result at CSUSB.
McELFRESH BREAKS RECORD
On Sept. 25 against Chico State, Cameron McElfresh posted his fourth individual shutout of 2016 and 23rd of his career, breaking former All-American teammate Josh Cohen's program record for the Division II era, since 2000. He had matched it with a clean sheet at Concordia on Sept. 17. McElfresh now has 11 on the season, tied for first in the CCAA, and 30 as a Triton, No. 2 on the all-time list. The school standard is held by UCSD Athletics Hall of Famer Brian Siljander (1987-90), at 37.
#PALANOPOWER
The Sept. 1 season opener versus Azusa Pacific meant the first time in the four-year college careers of Nick Palano and Sam Palano that the identical twin brothers combined on a goal, and was also the first time they both scored in the same match. Sam continues to lead the team with 19 points from six goals and seven assists, all career and team bests. His first collegiate brace came against rival Chico State on Sept. 25. The twins have accounted for four of UCSD's 16 game-winning tallies, and five decisive assists. Sam in fact had produced three straight goals for the team, with no other Triton having found the net over 594:39, leading up to Riley Harbour's overtime winner at 97:12 against Humboldt State on Oct. 2.
HISTORIC GOAL MEANS CCAA NOD FOR CORDELL
Christian Cordell was named on Nov. 1 as the final CCAA Player of the Week for the 2016 season, thanks to his game-winning goal with 1:54 left in regulation at Cal Poly Pomona on Oct. 29 that gave UCSD its first-ever CCAA championship.
RAPID ASCENSION
As UCSD's game at SF State kicked off at 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7, the Tritons sat in a two-way tie for eighth in the league table. Through four successive wins beginning that afternoon and going through Oct. 16, they moved into a tie for sixth, a tie for fourth, a tie for first, and finally, sole possession of the top spot in the CCAA standings. UCSD dipped briefly back to second after Sonoma State's 3-0 home win over Humboldt State on Oct. 19, but a 2-1 victory at Stanislaus State two nights later put the Tritons alone again in pole position.
FIRST CCAA WEEKLY AWARD FOR CAM
On Oct. 18, Cameron McElfresh became UCSD's first CCAA Player of the Week for the 2016 season. It was his first such award, coming after two more individual shutouts in a pair of home victories, with a career-best seven saves in the latter contest on Senior Day on Oct. 16 against CSUDH.
PROGRAM FIRST FOR CAM
Cameron McElfresh on Oct. 4 became the first UCSD men's player named the NSCAA Division II National Player of the Week, following his back-to-back home shutouts over the previous weekend. The NSCAA expanded its weekly awards program to include the Division II ranks back in 2013.
TRITON NOTES
The first three of fourth-year senior central midfielder Riley Harbour's four goals this year were game-winners at home, including two in critical 1-0 CCAA triumphs, with an overtime strike vs. Humboldt State (Oct. 2) and a first-half tally vs. No. 12 Cal State LA (10/14) ... After sitting 2015 out through injury and entering the year with one career assist, redshirt junior striker Malek Bashti is tied for first in the CCAA with seven helpers, along with teammate Sam Palano, despite missing four games ... Prior to victories at SF State (2-1) on Oct. 7 and Cal State Monterey Bay (2-0) on Oct. 9, UCSD had last swept a CCAA road weekend in 2013, winning at Stanislaus State (2-0) on Oct. 4 and Cal State East Bay (2-0) on Oct. 6 ... Click here to watch Riley Harbour's overtime winner against Humboldt State on Oct. 2, and here for Christian Cordell's stunner against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Oct. 16 ... UC San Diego is 9-6-2 in CCAA openers after a 1-0 loss at CSUSM on Sept. 21, which snapped a string of two straight wins ... UCSD is 12-3-2 in season openers in its NCAA Division II era, since 2000, following the Sept. 1 defeat of Azusa Pacific, 2-1, with the Tritons an unbeaten 3-0-1 over their last four ... UCSD was picked fifth in the CCAA preseason coaches' poll, with reigning West Region champion CPP the favorite.
2016 SEASON OUTLOOK
UC San Diego had no seniors on its 2015 roster, but has eight in 2016. The Tritons welcome back the core of their defense in redshirt seniors Cameron McElfresh in goal and Brett Sampiere and Kuba Waligorski on the back line alongside junior Kyle Panganiban. Waligorski is a two-time All-CCAA Second Team pick, with McElfresh gaining All-CCAA honorable mentions for each of the past two years without missing a single minute between the posts. Sampiere, making a permanent return to his natural spot at right back, earned All-CCAA honorable mentions in 2013 and 2015. Nolan Mac and Jeff Powers were in the lineup at times and will vie for minutes.
The offensive production should be boosted by the return of Malek Bashti after missing 2015 through injury. Junior Uly de la Cal tied for the team high in points from two goals and three assists a year ago. Senior Riley Harbour, one of two Tritons he shared that designation with, is back in central midfield, as are Justice Duerksen, Zachary Lagotta and Nick Palano among wing options. Lagotta was All-CCAA honorable mention as a sophomore in 2015. Forward Sam Palano joins his identical twin brother as a fourth-year senior who will be counted on.
ROSTER NOTES
Among 29 players on the 2016 roster are 23 returners, just six newcomers, and eight seniors. There are four San Diego products, in redshirt senior right back Brett Sampiere (Solana Beach/Torrey Pines HS), junior winger Zachary Lagotta (Cathedral Catholic HS), sophomore forward Nathaniel Bloom (Encinitas/San Dieguito HS Academy) and redshirt freshman midfielder Daniel Boemer (San Diego/Scripps Ranch HS).
HEAD COACH JON PASCALE
Jon Pascale, now a three-time CCAA Coach of the Year through back-to-back honors in 2012 and 2013 and another this season, has posted a 90-48-33 (.623) overall record in his ninth year in charge of the UC San Diego men's soccer program. He is 65-39-24 (.602) in arguably the toughest NCAA Division II conference in the nation, the CCAA. Pascale has this season guided the Tritons to the very first CCAA regular-season and tournament titles in the program's 17 years as a league member. This is UCSD's seventh straight campaign with an overall record of .500 or better, with seven winning seasons out of Pascale's nine. The Tritons have earned four successive berths in the CCAA Tournament, with trips to the NCAA Championship in 2013, 2014 and 2016. A 1-0 home victory over Sonoma State on Sept. 29, 2013, gave Pascale career win No. 50, while a 2-0 triumph at Stanislaus State in the very next match on Oct. 4 marked his 100th contest at the Triton helm. He directed his first postseason tilt on Nov. 8, 2013, in Turlock, a come-from-behind, 2-1 overtime win over Chico State in a CCAA semifinal. He made his NCAA tourney debut as a head coach on Nov. 16, 2013, in La Jolla. A 2-0 home decision over Cal State East Bay on Oct. 12, 2014, meant CCAA win No. 50 for Pascale, who coached his 100th CCAA tilt at Cal State Monterey Bay five days later.
ABOUT THE TRAILBLAZERS
Dixie State (15-3, 13-0 PacWest) is arguably the hottest team in the country in Division II, having reeled off 15 straight victories since an 0-3 start. Within this stretch, the Trailblazers ran the table in the PacWest to win the league crown. Leading scorer Moises Medina (six goals, six assists) is the PacWest Freshman of the Year, with junior Bryan Baugh the PacWest Defender of the Year and senior Bradley Trella the PacWest Goalkeeper of the Year. Dixie State is 7-3 outside of St. George, Utah. Nyle Ortiz is the first-year interim head coach.
SERIES HISTORY
UCSD and Dixie State have met just once before in men's soccer, with the Tritons coming away with a 2-1 victory in La Jolla on Sept. 11, 2014. Kuba Waligorski notched the opener in the 20th minute, with Zachary Lagotta's 75th-minute goal the winner.
ABOUT THE VIKINGS
Western Washington (9-4-4, 6-3-3 GNAC) is a winner of five straight and 5-0-1 over its last six, a run that began with a 1-1 draw at No. 3 Simon Fraser on Oct. 15. That result was later followed by a 1-0 home victory over the Clan on Nov. 3, marking SFU's lone loss thus far in 2016. Greg Brisbon, the 2016 GNAC Co-Coach of the Year, is in his fourth season in charge of the Vikings.
SERIES HISTORY
WWU leads the all-time series, 3-2, and has posted back-to-back shutout victories, 2-0 at home on Sept. 5, 2015, and 1-0 in La Jolla on an unassisted sixth-minute goal by Tye Hastings on Sept. 6, 2014. The Tritons had edged the Vikings, 2-1, midway through the 2006 season, also in La Jolla on Sept. 20 on a Tony Choi brace. UCSD previously blanked WWU in Bellingham, 2-0, on Sept. 7, 2005. To open the 2001 campaign on Aug. 30, the Vikings edged the Tritons in La Jolla, 1-0 in overtime.
TRITONS IN THE MEDIA
A selection of features on the UC San Diego men's soccer program from this season:
• Tritons on NCAA.com (10/21/16)
GEAR UP
For the latest in Triton athletic gear, make sure to visit ucsdtritonsgear.com. Run by UCSD Athletics' online partner Advanced-Online, the site provides an on-demand option for Triton Athletic apparel and merchandise. Fans have access to over 600 products that can be processed and shipped within 24 hours.
FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UCSD home athletic events, and much more!
SOCIAL MEDIA (#AllForOne)
UCSD Athletics on Facebook (UCSDtritons)
UCSD Athletics on Instagram (@UCSDtritons)
UCSD Athletics on Twitter (@UCSDtritons)
UCSD Athletics on YouTube (UCSDathletics)
UCSD Men's Soccer on Facebook
UCSD Men's Soccer on Instagram (@ucsdmenssoccer)
UP NEXT
Should the Tritons advance past Sunday's second-round tilt, they will either head to Seattle, Wash., the following week, or host the West Region final and national quarterfinal. The West's top seed, Simon Fraser, is unable to host NCAA postseason activity in Canada, and thus is hosting off-site at Seattle Pacific this year.
#AllForOne
