LA JOLLA, Calif. – The University of California San Diego men's soccer team fell to Cal Poly Pomona by a score of 1-0 in the CCAA Tournament semifinal Friday morning at Triton Soccer Stadium. With the setback, the Tritons fall to 14-5 on the season. The Broncos improve their mark to 12-4-2.
 
Ranked sixth in the West Region, the Tritons will now await their NCAA tournament fate to see if they earn an at-large selection. The NCAA brackets will be unveiled on Monday, Nov. 18, when the selection show takes place at 3:30 p.m. PST.
 
The Broncos struck quickly, getting on the board in the third minute of the match when CCAA Offensive Player of the Year Jimmie Villalobos sent it in high and found the back of the net to put Cal Poly Pomona in front, 1-0.  That strike was Villalobos' 18th goal of the season, and turned out to be the only tally of the match.
 
The Broncos out-shot UC San Diego, 10-4, in the first half. Cal Poly Pomona took three corner kicks, and UC San Diego registered a pair.
 
In the second half, the Tritons had what appeared to be their best scoring opportunity on a free kick just outside the 18 in the 85th minute. Freshman midfielder Cooper Lachenbruch bent one in above Broncos' keeper Jordan Aldama, but the ball struck the crossbar and Cal Poly Pomona was able to clear.
 
UC San Diego had another good scoring chance in the 89th minute when senior midfielder Andy Sartor fired on frame from just outside the 18, but the Broncos made the stop. Looking for the equalizer, the Tritons had a corner in the final seconds, but the lone shot went wide as time expired.
 
The Broncos registered 13 shots in the match, while UC San Diego had 11. The Tritons had seven corner kicks in the match, and Cal Poly Pomona had five. UC San Diego junior goalkeeper Pedro Enciso was credited with six saves in the match.
 
Prior to the match, UC San Diego redshirt junior midfielder Jón Veigar Kristjánsson was named the CCAA Championship Scholar Award winner for men's soccer. Kristjánsson is the first Triton soccer player to capture the award, and the second Triton all-time. Brett Ooddyke from UC San Diego men's basketball captured the award in 2017-18.
 
The CCAA Men's Soccer Tournament concludes Sunday morning at Triton Soccer Stadium with the championship match at 11:30 a.m., when the Broncos will face either top seed Cal State LA or No. 4 seed Cal State San Bernardino. Tickets can be purchased on-site, with prices starting at $5.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
With 30 national team championships, nearly 150 individual titles and the top student-athlete graduation rate among Division II institutions in the United States, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program annually ranks as one of the most successful in the country.  The Tritons sponsor 23 intercollegiate sport programs that compete on the NCAA Division I and II levels and, in summer 2020, will transition into full Division I status as a member of the Big West Conference.  UC San Diego student-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent.  A total of 82 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships.  In competition, more than 1,300 UC San Diego student-athletes have earned All-America honors.
Follow The Tritons
For complete coverage and information regarding UC San Diego Athletics, follow the Tritons online at UCSDtritons.com and through social media on Twitter (@ucsdtritons), Instagram (@ucsdtritons) and Facebook (ucsdtritons).