UC San Diego

SPOKANE, Wash. — Pac-12 After Dark broke out in full force at Luger Field in Spokane on Saturday night with all three goals of UC San Diego men's soccer's 2-1 win over Gonzaga coming after the 80th minute, culminating in an 89th-minute game winner.
 
The Bulldogs (3-5-2, 0-2-0 Pac-12) opened the scoring in the 82nd minute. Kelham Wolf then equalized for the Tritons (6-3-1, 1-0-1) two minutes later, with the freshman scoring just 10 minutes into his collegiate debut. Fellow freshman Richard Hoang had the last-minute winner on an assist from Masayuki Fujita.
 
UC San Diego goalkeeper Nic Thiele tied his career high with seven saves.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
A cagey first half did not feature a promising opportunity for either side. The Tritons took two shots, both by Adam Dunbar. Both efforts came from outside of the box and were not on target.
 
UC San Diego goalkeeper Nic Thiele made three first half saves. He made two a minute apart near the 30-minute mark, with his third coming on a last-ditch effort as time was expiring before the break.
 
The best chance of the first half came on a Gonzaga corner kick in the 41st minute. The Bulldogs got a contested header off that went toward goal, with the shot falling right to Lalo Barbieri at the near post for a comfortable clearance just before the goal line.
 
Both teams stepped up the intensity after the break, with each goalkeeper making four second-half saves. Gonzaga was on the front foot more as the match progressed but did not break through until late. A give-and-go in behind the Triton defense opened the scoring with eight minutes remaining.
 
UC San Diego responded immediately, putting the Bulldog backline under pressure. A chaotic sequence saw a pair of Triton shots stopped, with one by Fujita blocked out for a corner kick. The Triton coaching staff then challenged, winning a penalty kick in the 84th minute after it was determined that an earlier header from Tyler Cash was blocked by a defender's arm.
 
Gavin Allegaert stepped up to take the penalty, with his shot saved. But Wolf was first to the rebound, slamming home the equalizer to start the Triton comeback.
   
Thiele made a big save two minutes later to keep the score at 1-1 and set the stage for the Tritons' game-winner. It was also Thiele who first launched a ball deep, with Gonzaga clearing the initial ball straight to Wolf. He found Sean Ueda, who connected with Fujita inside the box. Fujita then played the ball back to Hoang just inside the 18, with the freshman firing a one-time shot with his left foot to the far post to give the Tritons the victory.
   
TRITON TIDBITS

• True freshman Liam Zubak made his first collegiate start, replacing Woody Brown in midfield.
• Fellow true freshmen Wolf and Hoang both scored their first career goals.
• Matteo Saffer's goal at 88:35 on Wednesday in a 1-1 draw with Cal Poly was the Tritons' latest goal since Oct. 11, 2023. Hoang (88:02) now has the second-latest goal during that stretch.
• UC San Diego has scored five goals in the 84th minute or later this season.

QUOTABLE
"Amazing team effort tonight," head coach Jon Pascale said. "It definitely was not our best performance, but it was our guttiest. The belief the players have in each other was on full display when we conceded with less than 10 minutes to go. They never stopped fighting, and to get goals from Kelham and Richie was amazing. I am happy for them and the entire team."
 
UP NEXT
The Tritons visit UC Riverside next Wednesday, Oct. 7. The match begins at 7:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
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.