SAN DIEGO – UC San Diego could not overcome cross-town rivals San Diego State on Tuesday at the SDSU Sports Deck, falling 2-1 in a nail-biting exhibition match. Bryce Barnum scored his first goal of his Triton career on Tuesday night; the Duke transfer also made his first start for UC San Diego.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SDSU struck first about ten minutes in with a floated through ball through the center of the pitch. An Aztec touch brought the pass down and into the 18-yard box, setting up a clean finish into the bottom right corner.
Things got physical between the cross-town rivals soon after, prompting a flurry of whistles and stern warnings. A Triton counter attack ended with Adam Hillis on the ground just outside the box, resulting in a no-call in the 20th minute. The first yellow card was handed out at SDSU's seventh foul, a slide that cut down another Triton breakaway in the 36th minute.
The hosts threatened to double the lead in the 28th minute with a header, prompting a hop from Nolan Premack to secure the ball. A minute later, James Redington drilled in a right side cross that found a Triton head that redirected just wide of the right post.
The Tritons put the pressure coming into the second half, pushing the pace with long balls and possession in the Aztec half. The effort paid off four minutes into the half as Bryce Barnum rebounded a ricocheted shot and netted the subsequent point blank shot.
An Aztec corner prompted a strong punch out from Premack, who ended up on top of an Aztec after a footrace for the stray ball. The subsequent penalty drew the hosts back on top at 2-1 in the 73rd minute.
UP NEXT
UC San Diego hosts Arizona Western in an exhibition match at Triton Soccer Stadium on Friday. Kick off is set for 7 p.m. with live statistics available via UCSDTritons.com. Admission is free.
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 in 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.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
