UC San Diego

SAN DIEGO — A 74th-minute goal from Keenai Braun gave UC San Diego men's soccer a 1-1 draw against San Diego State on Saturday night at the rain-soaked SDSU Sports Deck. That result left the Tritons vulnerable to falling out of the Pac-12 Championship, which they did after a UC Riverside victory at Cal Poly.
 
The result sees the Tritons (7-6-4, 1-1-4 Pac-12) end their season in fifth place in the conference. The Tritons finished one point out of the four-team postseason. San Diego State (3-7-9, 1-0-5) only needed a draw to advance to the postseason in third place.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
San Diego State was on the front foot early, taking seven shots in the first 30 minutes. The Aztecs' first effort on frame came in the 26th minute, with Triton goalkeeper Nic Thiele making a finger-tip save to tip the ball over the crossbar. San Diego State's pressure then paid off with a goal on a long throw-in in the 28th minute.
 
The script flipped after that point, with the Tritons putting the pressure on the match. UC San Diego out-shot San Diego State 4-1 in the final 15 minutes of the first half, but the Tritons were unable to get a shot on goal.
 
The Tritons continued to apply pressure after halftime, taking 10 second-half shots and forcing two saves. The majority of San Diego State's second-half chances came on counter attacks, with Thiele making five saves after the break. UC San Diego finished the match with 60% possession after having 54% at halftime.
 
UC San Diego found the equalizer on a set piece in the 74th minute. Matias Mott sent in a free kick from the right side, with Tyler Cash getting a headed shot off that hit the crossbar. Braun was first to the rebound, firing home a one-time shot into the top of the net.
 
The Tritons searched for a game-winning goal to extend their season but were unable to connect. Cash had two more shots down the stretch, but the best opportunity came from Nate Morgan in the final minute when a free kick was awarded to the Tritons mere feet outside of the box. Morgan took it direct, with his shot just barely missing high.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• UC San Diego's .529 winning percentage in 2026 is the best in the program's Division I era.
• The Tritons also end the season with new Division I program records in goals scored (29), consecutive wins (4) and consecutive shutouts (4).
• The Tritons tied their Division I program records for highest conference winning percentage (.500), shutouts (5), consecutive matches without a loss (4) and road wins (4).
• UC San Diego received votes in the United Soccer Coaches Poll on Oct. 6, marking the first time in Division I that the Tritons received Top 25 votes.

QUOTABLE
"I am very proud of the way the team fought tonight," head coach Jon Pascale said. "We are all extremely disappointed in missing out on the conference tournament. We felt we were more than good enough to be there. I know this will fuel our motivation in the offseason. I want to thank the seniors for all they put into the program. They set the tone from the start of the season. The development and growth of the team this year was a testament to their leadership. I also want to thank all the families, alumni and fans for their support this year."
 
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.