OREM, Utah – First year Triton
Kiki Vostermans scored a second half goal for UC San Diego, but Utah Valley made two first half scores stand up as the Wolverines captured their first Big West title with a 2-1 victory Saturday night at UCCU Stadium. The win gives Utah Valley (15-4-3) its first Big West championship and an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament next week.
UC San Diego (12-4-5) had its eight-match unbeaten streak snapped with the loss. Vostermans,
Leilah Raad and
Cadee Borg were selected to the All-Tournament Team.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego came out confident and held the potent Wolverine offense in check early. On the other end of the pitch, Triton junior
Natalie Oca ripped a shot in the tenth minute that was saved by UVU keeper Madeleine Boucher. The Wolverines earned the first corner kick of the match in the 15' but they were unable to get a shot. A minute later, UC San Diego junior
Ava Tibor raced up the right side and ripped a shot with her right foot from just inside the 18, but Boucher made another stop. UVU broke the scoreless deadlock in the 18th minute when Kate Booth collected a rebound off a deflection into the back of the net.
The Tritons looked to equalize in the 29th minute.
Natalie Oca's shot was blocked, but it led to UC San Diego's first corner kick of the match. However, the visitors were unable to muster a shot. On the other end, Utah Valley tacked onto its lead with a Bailey Peterson shot from outside the box in the 44'. UC San Diego had a corner in the final minute leading to a Vostermans rocket from the top of the 18 which sailed just wide. The Wolverines led 2-0 at half, though each team registered three shots and the Tritons had two corners to the Wolverines' one.
UC San Diego got on the board in the 70th minute when Vostermans punched it in with assists to
Olivia Shih and
Kennadi Borg. The Triton bench erupted. UC San Diego continued to apply pressure with several strong runs. In the 83rd minute, a UC San Diego corner kick led to a strong header from
Kat Harris at the six, but UC San Diego was denied.
UC San Diego out-shot the Wolverines, 12-8, and the Tritons earned four corners to UVU's three. The Tritons held an 8-5 shot advantage after halftime.
TRITON TIDBITS
- Saturday was UC San Diego's first Big West Championship match appearance.
- Vostermans' goal was her second as a Triton.
- The Tritons last appeared in a conference game when they won the CCAA title on their home pitch in 2019. That was the program's final Division II season.
- When these teams met in the regular season, the Tritons and Wolverines battled to a 2-2 draw in La Jolla.
- Game time temperature was 46 degrees under mostly cloudy skies with a light wind.
- UC San Diego wore its white kits Saturday night.
QUOTABLE
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 84 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.
