LA JOLLA, Calif. – New Mexico scored less than two minutes into the contest and made it hold up as the visiting Lobos blanked host UC San Diego, 2-0, on a humid Thursday night at Triton Soccer Stadium.
New Mexico – the Mountain West preseason favorite – scored in the second and 70th minutes to pick up the road win and improve to 2-2-2 overall. With the setback, the Tritons are now 1-4-1.
HOW IT HAPPENED
New Mexico wasted little time jumping in front, scoring a goal in the second minute off the foot of Zaria Katesigwa. Leilani Baker served it into the box and Katesigwa was there to put it away.
In the 21st minute, the Lobos looked to add to their lead when Jadyn Edwards settled the ball at the top of the box and ripped a shot on frame. Tritons' goalkeeper
Keara Fitzgerald made a terrific save, but the rebound came right back to Edwards who again sent the ball on target. Once again, Fitzgerald made the stop.
Each team had eight shots in the first 45 minutes and Fitzgerald recorded four first half saves.
In the second half, UC San Diego looked for the equalizer and
Ava D'Arcangelo took a cross and fired on frame, earning the Tritons' first corner kick of the match.
New Mexico added a second goal by Jadyn Edwards in the 70th minute.
QUOTABLE
"We spoke after the game about the difference between winning and losing a game like that is mental lapses," said UC San Diego head coach
Kristin Jones '04. "New Mexico didn't make mistakes. We made two costly errors, they capitalized, and the game ended up two-nil. Our overall performance was really good against a tough opponent, but it's hard to look past those mistakes because we realize how close we are to a team of that caliber."
TRITON TIDBITS
- UC San Diego held a 14-12 advantage in shots on Thursday, the first time this season the Tritons have out-shot their opponent.
- Mika Celeste started in the midfield for UC San Diego – her first start since 2019 when she was CCAA (Division II) Freshman of the Year.
- Junior transfer Sarah Kowack made her first appearance of the season for UC San Diego.
- The Tritons wore white for the fourth time this season, with GK Keara Fitzgerald in light blue.
UP NEXT
The Tritons continue their home stand on Sunday when they host Saint Mary's at 1 p.m. on Alumni Day. Admission is free and the match will air live on ESPN+ with Steve Quis and Natasha Belak-Berger 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.
