NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – CSUN picked up a goal in the 45th minute and made that strike stand up as the Matadors shut out visiting UC San Diego, one-nil, at Matador Soccer Field on Saturday night.
 
CSUN improved to 2-10-1 overall while earning its first Big West victory of the season (1-2-1). After dropping their second straight on the road trip, the Tritons are now 4-7 (1-3).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The match seemed destined for a scoreless first half, but CSUN picked up a goal with less than 30 seconds to play in the opening period. Max Yanakaev fed Esteban Camacho, whose cross was settled by Thomas Mascaro. Mascaro's low shot found the back of the net to give the Matadors a 1-0 lead at the half.
 
Each side fired two shots on net in the first half, with UC San Diego's Dominic Peters making a save. The Matadors committed five first half fouls to two for the Tritons.
 
The second half was a much more physical affair, with the two sides combining for 21 fouls and five yellow cards – including four cards issued to the home team.
 
The Tritons were unable to convert an equalizer but came close. In the 79th minute, Noah Sonenstein fired a shot that was saved by CSUN keeper David Preys. The ball came loose and Nick Cirrito corralled the rebound and scored. However, the referee ruled that Preys had possession and the would-be equalizer was called back.
 
QUOTABLE
"I thought we controlled first half, but we couldn't take advantage of an early breakaway. We had a lapse late [in the first half] – and they took advantage of that," said UC San Diego head coach Jon Pascale. "We played on the edge second half. There were too many fouls and we made some bad decisions. They had a lead, and we were chasing. It was not a good half."

TRITON TIDBITS

• Entering Saturday's match, CSUN had allowed more goals than any other Big West school (27) and UC San Diego had surrendered the fewest (nine).
• Saturday was the first meeting between the Tritons and Matadors since 1988.
• Peters was credited with three saves for UC San Diego over 79+ minutes. Nick Shor played the final 10 and a half minutes in net for the Tritons.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego returns to Triton Soccer Stadium in La Jolla to host Big West preseason favorite UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday night. Kick-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. and the match will be televised live on ESPN+ with Taylor Quellman and Sal Zizzo calling the action.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.