LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego will wrap up its non-conference schedule this weekend in a Saturday night matchup hosted by crosstown foe San Diego State.
 
This will be the first time the Tritons and Aztecs have faced one another. SDSU is currently 2-4-2 overall and 0-1-1 in the Pac-12 Conference. The Aztecs are coming off a 0-0 tie against then No. 2 Stanford.

DETAILS
UC San Diego (4-2-2, 0-0 Big West) vs. (2-4-2, 0-1-1 Pac-12)
Saturday, September 24
7 p.m.
SDSU Sports Deck, San Diego, Calif.
Live Stats
Series Record: 0-0
Last Meeting: N/A

ABOUT THE TRITONS
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 4-2-2
Big West: 0-0
Home: 2-1-2
Away: 2-1
Neutral: 0-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: 1-1
Streak: L1

TRITONS, STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

Stat	UCSD	Opp.
Goals	8	6
Goals/Game	1.00	0.75
Shots	64	97
Shots/Game	8.0	12.1
Shots on Goal	23	42
Corner Kicks	32	47
YC-RC-Fouls	11-0-82	14-1-94
PKs (Goals)	2 (2)	2 (2)

ABOUT THE AZTECS
Roster | Schedule | Stats
Overall: 2-4-2
Pac-12: 0-1-1
Home: 2-1
Away: 0-3-2
Neutral: 0-0
vs. Ranked Opponents: 1-0-2
Streak: T1

LAST TIME OUT
On the road at Gonzaga, UC San Diego dropped their second loss of the season to the Bulldogs in a 2-0 result. Gonzaga got on the board in the 32nd minute of the first half to take the lead. The Bulldogs recorded eight shots with three on goal to the Tritons' two shots. Dominic Peters made three saves for the gold and blue in the first half.
 
In the second half, the Tritons took four shots with three on goal while the Bulldogs took 11 shots with three on. UC San Diego looked for opportunities to get on the board with three corners in the second half. Asa Gibson recorded three shots for the Tritons with one on goal. In the 68th minute, Gonzaga added another goal to solidify their lead. With some late pressure from Nick Cirrito and Alan Kim, the Tritons were unable to overcome the deficit.

ATTENDING THE MATCHES
Admission to UC San Diego home soccer matches is free, but parking permits are required seven days per week on campus. For UC San Diego Parking information, click here.

GAME DAY GOES WITH YOU
Triton fans now have a whole new way to access game day information, as game programs have gone digital! Fans can visit UCSDTritons.com/MSgameday from their smartphone or scan the QR code at the entrance to Triton Soccer Stadium for everything they need to know about each home game, including updated rosters, schedules, and stats for each team, as well as links to watch on ESPN+.

COVERING THE TRITONS
Media members wishing to cover a UC San Diego game in-person at Triton Soccer Stadium this season must notify a member of the Athletics Communication staff no later than 10 a.m. on gameday.

Following the conclusion of each home game, a video highlight melt and video postgame interviews will be made available for media members to download.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
UC San Diego will host pre-season favorite, UC Santa Barbara, on Wednesday, Sep. 28 to begin Big West Conference play. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. with broadcaster Taylor Quellman and 15-year pro-baller Sal Zizzo calling the action on ESPN+. Live stats will be available on ucsdtritons.com.

ON THE MOVE
After 20 seasons playing as an NCAA Division II team, the entire athletics program has begun a four-year transition to NCAA Division I, culminating in full DI status as a member of the Big West Conference for the 2024-25 academic year. At that time, all sports will be eligible for conference and NCAA postseason play.
 
TEAM CAPTAINS
This year's team captains are forward Nick Cirrito and defender Noah Sonenstein.
 
PETERS EARNS BIG WEST AND NATIONAL TEAM RECOGNITION
After a career weekend in the net, goalkeeper Dominic Peters earns Big West Defensive Player of the Week on Sep. 19.
 
Following two matchups vs. the University of San Diego and Gonzaga University, Peters played a total of 180 minutes to record 19 saves and a shutout. He held the line at 0-0 against the Toreros as he made a career-high 12 saves in a single match. Against Gonzaga, Peters made seven saves as the Tritons faced 19 shots from the Bulldogs with nine on goal.
 
The Santa Clara product is the current Big West leader in three categories: goals average against (.800), saves (35), and shutouts per game (3). Peters is the first Triton to receive Big West recognition in the 2022 season.
 
Peters was recognized by Top Drawer Soccer and the NCAA to earn a spot on their Men's Team of the Week. You can see the full XI here.
 
CIRRITO CALLBACKS
In a feature called "Fab Five", Triton scholar-athletes are tasked to pick five of their favorite photos from the 2021-22 season to be highlighted on UCSDtritons.com. 
Nick Cirrito, a forward on the men's soccer team, shares his collection.

In the program's first Division I season, Cirrito paced the Tritons in goals scored in 2021. He started all 16 matches and will go down in the record book after scoring UC San Diego's first-ever Division I goal in a match at UNLV in August.

An urban studies and planning major out of UC San Diego's Muir College with minors in environmental studies and climate change studies, Cirrito plans to attend grad school at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, recently confirming that he will return to the soccer team for the 2022 season. View the full gallery here.

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A post shared by UCSD Mens Soccer (@ucsdmsoc)

 
19 TRITONS MAKE COMMISSIONER'S HONOR ROLL
19 members of the UC San Diego men's soccer team were honored for their work in the classroom by being named to the 2021 Big West Commissioner's Honor Roll. Alessandro Allen, Ian Baick, Nick Cirrito, Cory Daley, Nick Shor, Noah Sonenstein, Lucas Tager, Jordon Vice, and Adam Walker all earned Highest Honors for maintaining a cumulative GPA between 3.51 and 4.0. Jonah Bryan, Max Carvalho, Mason Haubrich, Jorge Mendoza, and Jota Yamaguchi were all recognized With Honors for maintaining a GPA between 3.21 and 3.50. Euan Clark, Jack Hagan, Carter Jacobus, Cooper Lachenbruch, and Jake Serpa each earned a spot on the Honor Roll for posting a GPA between 3.00 and 3.20.
 
SONENSTEIN ABROAD WITH TEAM USA AT 21ST MACCABIAH GAMES
Earlier this summer, UC San Diego men's soccer defender, Noah Sonenstein, represented Team USA abroad at the 21st Maccabiah Games in Israel, where they secured the silver medal.
 
"Having never been out of the US, to be in an entirely different part of the world, to learn more about my Jewish heritage, and to play soccer at the international level, all with a group of guys who went from being complete strangers to my closest friends was an unforgettable experience that exceeded all my expectations," Sonenstein reflected.
 
Reaching the final, Team USA faced Team Uruguay for a rematch and dropped the match 2-3. Appearing in all six games, Sonenstein started three games for the red, white, and blue. His first goal scored came against Team Sweden in the third matchup, and in the final, Sonenstein recorded an assist and scored a goal.
 
Looking ahead to the 2022 season, Sonenstein remarked, "For a lot of the guys on the team, this was their last hoorah. I'm grateful that I get to continue playing the game at the highest level and I'll carry that gratitude into every game I play. I'm ready to get after it!"
 
TRITON SOCCER STADIUM GETS A NEW SURFACE
In preparation for the 2022 soccer season Triton Soccer Stadium has been refreshed with a brand-new carpet of grass, the field's first sod replacement in over 20 years.
 
The new sod is Tahoma Bermudagrass, a type of highly drought-resistant grass ideal for soccer fields. As part of the sod replacement process, Triton Soccer Stadium's field was also laser leveled to ensure an even playing surface.
 
The re-surfaced area encompasses the northern end of the RIMAC Fields, which not only includes Triton Soccer Stadium in the northwest corner but also space for a second full soccer field in the northeast corner. In total, 208,500 square feet of sod were replaced over the course of the four-week long project.

CARVALHO EARNS BIG WEST HONORS
UC San Diego freshman forward Max Carvalho was honored by the Big West when the conference's men's soccer awards were announced on Friday afternoon. He was named to the Big West All-Freshman Team.
 
 A product of Aliso Viejo, Carvalho played in 11 matches for the Tritons in 2021, starting the last five. He scored his first goal – the game winner – in the Tritons' 2-1 victory at UC Riverside in the season's final match.
 
IT'S OVER FOR OT
In the spring, the NCAA announced that regular season matches would no longer be decided in overtime. The golden goal format has gone by the wayside and matches that are level after 90 minutes will be declared a tie.
 
UC SAN DIEGO ON THE WORLDWIDE LEADER
Most UC San Diego home men's and women's basketball games, men's and women's soccer matches, men's and women's volleyball matches, baseball and softball games are broadcast live on ESPN+. For more information on where to watch UC San Diego soccer, visit UCSDTritons.com/live.
 
WHY THE TRITONS?
The Triton is described as the offspring of Poseidon and Amphitrite, a demigod of the sea with a lower part of the body like that of a fish. It is known as a mighty and fierce sea warrior. Given UC San Diego's proximity to the Pacific Ocean and its connections with the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the Triton became our mascot in 1964.
 
UC SAN DIEGO ATHLETICS LAUNCHES WEEKLY PODCAST
As part of UC San Diego's transition to Division I, the Athletics Department launched a weekly podcast, Tritoncast. Produced by UC San Diego Athletics Communications, Tritoncast features in-depth interviews with UC San Diego personalities including scholar-athletes, alums, coaches, and administrators. Triton fans will get an inside look at the UC San Diego Athletics Department as the program transitions to NCAA Division I and the Big West Conference. New episodes of Tritoncast are available each week on the most popular podcasting apps. In addition, each episode can be heard and downloaded on UCSDTritons.com. For individual show information and listen links, follow Tritoncast on Twitter @Tritoncast.
 
MEN'S SOCCER ON TRITONCAST

Episode	Published	Guest(s)	Listen Link
11	9/9/20	Josh Cohen '14, Maccabi Haifa FC	Listen
17	10/21/20	Jeff Powers '18, working in video production	Listen
56	8/17/22	Jon Pascale, 2022 season preview	Listen
61	9/21/22	Noah Sonenstein '22, Team USA	Listen

GET SOCIAL WITH UC SAN DIEGO SOCCER
Keep up with the Tritons all season long on social media through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The team's handle is @ucsdmsoc.

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 UC San Diego home athletic events, and much more!

GEAR
For the latest Triton apparel and accessories, click here.
 
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.