SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — UC San Diego tied with UC Santa Barbara, 1-1, Saturday at Harder Stadium, moving to 7-3-5 overall and 3-1-3 in Big West play. The Tritons finished with a 14-12 advantage in total shots, while both teams recorded seven shots on goal.
Charlotte Wilfert made six saves in goal, including five in the second half, as UC San Diego earned a point on the road.
Natalie Oca gave the Tritons an early lead, scoring in the 11th minute off an assist from
Olivia Shih. UC Santa Barbara equalized in the 69th minute, and neither team found a game-winner despite late attacking chances from both sides.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego came out on the front foot, with Shih testing UC Santa Barbara's goalkeeper with a shot on goal in the opening minute.
Alexis Nguyen followed with an attempt as the Tritons looked to establish an early advantage. In the 11th minute, Oca found the back of the net off Shih's assist to give UC San Diego a 1-0 lead.
The Tritons continued to create opportunities following the opening goal, with shots from
Ava Tibor, Nguyen, and Shih. Wilfert made a save in the 15th minute to preserve the lead. UC San Diego later earned three corner kicks in a two-minute span and added a shot from
Anya Lin before carrying its 1-0 advantage into halftime.
UC Santa Barbara increased its attacking pressure after the break, recording six shots and two corner kicks during an early second-half stretch. Wilfert came through with four saves between the 48th and 60th minutes before making another stop in the 66th minute to keep the Tritons in front.
The Gauchos eventually equalized in the 69th minute, leveling the match at 1-1.
UC San Diego responded with renewed pressure in the closing stages, generating five shots and two corner kicks between the 76th and 86th minutes.
Kiki Vostermans,
Leilah Raad,
Karize Madero,
Jenna Grider, Shih and Nguyen each contributed to the Tritons' attacking efforts as they searched for a go-ahead goal. Nguyen forced another save in the 88th minute, but neither side found the decisive finish as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
TRITON TIDBITS
- UC San Diego finished with a 14-12 advantage in total shots, while both teams recorded seven shots on goal.
- Natalie Oca scored her second goal of the season, opening the scoring in the 11th minute.
- Olivia Shih recorded her second assist of the season on Oca's opening goal and finished with three shots, including two on goal.
- Charlotte Wilfert made six saves in 90 minutes, including five in the second half.
QUOTEABLE
"I thought we started the game really bright and were on the front foot. Our press was really good, and forcing the mistake that led to the goal showed that our intensity and mentality were right. We had really good opportunities when we played calmly and found the open player, but I think in the second half we needed to stay on the front foot longer and find ways to get that second goal. We allowed them to get back in the game, and their quality showed, which we knew was there. It was two good teams fighting for the win. It's a hard place to play, so I'm proud of the girls for walking away with the draw, but I think if we had shifted our mentality slightly, this could have been a game where we got three points. Now we're focused on recovering and getting ready for Wednesday against Long Beach," said UC San Diego head coach
Kristin Jones '04.
UP NEXT
The Tritons return home to face Long Beach State on Wednesday, October 21st at 7 p.m. at Triton Soccer Stadium. Single-match tickets are available for purchase through the
Triton Box Office.
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.
