LA JOLLA, Calif. — UC San Diego men's soccer picked up its first win of the season on Wednesday with a 2-1 result over visiting Cal State Bakersfield. The Tritons got goals in the first half from sophomores
Woody Brown and
Keenai Braun before doing enough in the second to secure the victory.
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Brown and Braun both recorded their first goals of the season. The result moved the Tritons to 1-1-5 in Big West play, good for a tie for sixth place in the conference standings with two matches remaining. The top six teams at the conclusion of the regular season qualify for The Big West Championships.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
The scoring started in the 30th minute.
Brian Arens got off a shot from the right side that was saved by the Bakersfield goalkeeper but remained in play. Brown finished his run to the back post, picking up the rebound and beating the recovering goalkeeper with a one-touch shot.
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Braun added his goal in the 41st minute on a sensational volley from outside the box. He initially headed a loose ball into the area that was subsequently headed back out by the Roadrunners. Braun then chested the ball down and struck it with his right foot before it hit the ground, with his effort thundering into the far netting to put the Tritons up 2-0.
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The first half ended with the Tritons holding an edge in possession and shots. Bakersfield managed only one shot on target in the first 45.
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The match was set for an entertaining ending after the Roadrunners got on the board in the 58th minute. A shot from distance that may have been a cross attempt took an unlucky deflection off a Triton defender, leaving goalkeeper
Nic Thiele stranded.
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Bakersfield looked to equalize down the stretch, but the Tritons maintained a strong amount of possession and strung together attacking opportunities to keep the visitors on the back foot. The Roadrunners did get in behind the Triton defense in the 65th minute, but their attempt was saved by Thiele. The Tritons then countered quickly, with a shot by
Kai Oppenheim cleared off the line by a defender.
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Thiele only had to make one more save the rest of the match. A last-gasp effort in the match's dying seconds was scooped up comfortably to secure the Triton win.
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TRITON TIDBITS
- Freshman Sean Ueda replaced senior Adam Hillis in the starting lineup, with Hillis serving a suspension for yellow card accumulation.
- Braun's goal was also the first of his career.
- Wednesday's match was the first time this season that the Tritons led at halftime.
QUOTABLE
"We have been working so much, wanting to get that first win, so the vibes are high. But now it is all about that next game," Brown said. "There has been a lot of belief from the boys. We have really come together and there are more results to come."
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UP NEXT
The Tritons' final road match of the regular season is this Saturday at Sacramento State. The Big West contest begins at 3:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
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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 has begun a new era as a member of The Big West inÂ
NCAA Division I. The 24-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 39 have garnered 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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.comÂ
or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
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