BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Host Cal State Bakersfield posted a clean sheet with a 3-0 victory over visiting UC San Diego on a hot Thursday night at Main Soccer Field. The win was the first-ever for Cal State Bakersfield (4-8-1, 2-1 Big West) over the Tritons. UC San Diego (2-9-2 overall, 0-3-1 Big West). now leads the all-time series between the programs, 9-1-4.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Cal State Bakersfield came out firing, ripping a shot just 12 seconds into the match and earning a corner kick later in the first minute. UC San Diego sophomore goalkeeper Bella Barretto was busy throughout the first half, making four challenging saves.
 
On the other end of the pitch, the Tritons managed just two first half shots – one from senior Natalie Abel and one from sophomore Karize Madero – that were both off-target.
 
In the 44th minute, UC San Diego committed a foul leading to a Cal State Bakersfield free kick. Anela Nigito served the ball in from distance and Barretto went up in traffic and made the deflection, but the ball trickled in to put the home team in front at the half.
 
Bakersfield held a 6-2 first half shots advantage. UC San Diego earned a pair of corners in the first half, with the Roadrunners getting only the one in the first minute of action.
 
The home team added to its lead early in the second half, on an impressive shot from distance by Sara Ybarra in the 49th minute. Cal State Bakersfield clinched the win with a score from Solei Moton in the 73'.
 
In the 79th minute, junior back Allie Luo got a shot on target, but Hollee Hercik made the stop to preserve the clean sheet. The shot was Luo's first on frame this season.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Cal State Bakersfield now leads the Division I series between these two teams, 1-0-3.
• Temperature at kick-off was 94 degrees on Main Soccer Field.
• A season-high 21 Tritons saw minutes in Thursday's match. Only Barretto and backs Luo and Talisa Lin played all 90 minutes.
• UC San Diego earned seven corner kicks and surrendered just two.
• The Tritons wore their white kits with Barretto in red.

UP NEXT
The Tritons will play at CSUN Sunday night (7 p.m.) in a Big West match. The game can be seen live on ESPN+ with live statistics available on UCSDTritons.com.
 
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 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 84 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.