LA JOLLA, Calif. — UC San Diego opened the 2026 season Wednesday night at Triton Soccer Stadium, falling to San Diego State, 2-0.
The Tritons were outshot 9-7 but put four shots on goal, while San Diego State recorded three shots on target. UC San Diego goalkeeper
Charlotte Wilfert played all 90 minutes.
San Diego State took the lead in the 22nd minute and carried a 1-0 advantage into halftime.
The Aztecs doubled their lead early in the second half, scoring in the 54th minute to make it 2-0.
The Tritons continued to push for a goal, with
Ava Tibor registering two shots on goal.
Olivia Schiel also put a shot on target, while
Kat Harris added a shot on goal. San Diego State held on for the shutout victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The two sides battled through the opening 20 minutes before San Diego State took the lead in the 22nd minute.
UC San Diego continued to search for an equalizer, with
Leilah Raad recording a shot before halftime. The Tritons also generated late first-half opportunities from Schiel and
Cadee Borg, but San Diego State's goalkeeper made a save to keep UC San Diego off the scoreboard.
The Tritons came out with offensive pressure to begin the second half, but San Diego State extended its lead in the 54th minute to make it 2-0.
UC San Diego continued to generate opportunities throughout the remainder of the match. Tibor recorded two shots on goal, while Harris and Schiel each added one shot on target, but the Aztecs held on for the shutout victory.
TRITON TIDBITS
QUOTABLE
"I thought our team applied all of those coaching points really well. We didn't really cause ourselves too many problems on our goal kicks, which was great. This isn't going to be the best version of our team. We're going to continue to grow and learn as it goes on. We know that when we play our best style of soccer, we're a good soccer team, and I think we'll continue to get better as the season goes on," said UC San Diego head coach Kristin Jones.
UP NEXT
The Tritons return to action Saturday, Aug. 15, hosting Utah Tech at 7 p.m. at Triton Soccer Stadium, with the match also available on ESPN+. Tickets are available through
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.
