LA JOLLA, Calif. — UC San Diego battled to a 1-1 draw against Grand Canyon University on Friday at Triton Soccer Stadium in the Tritons' final exhibition match of the preseason.

Ryan Namdar scored the equalizer in the 87th minute, with Lalo Barbieri providing the assist. Nic Thiele made six saves in goal for UC San Diego, helping the Tritons hold Grand Canyon to one goal despite the Lopes putting seven shots on target.

The Tritons finished with a 17-13 advantage in shots and put eight attempts on frame compared to seven for Grand Canyon. Sean McTague recorded two shots on target, while Barbieri added an assist in the late comeback effort.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Grand Canyon opened the scoring in the 12th minute converting a penalty kick to give the Lopes an early 1-0 advantage.

UC San Diego looked for an immediate response, with Oren Stuppel and Gavin Allegaert both testing the Grand Canyon defense. The Tritons continued to push forward but were unable to find the equalizer before halftime.

Grand Canyon's goalkeeper denied Adam Dunbar in the 41st minute to preserve the Lopes' lead heading into the break.

The Tritons continued to apply pressure after halftime. Thiele made an important save in the 56th minute, stopping a shot from Ife Nkabu to keep UC San Diego within one.

UC San Diego nearly pulled level in the 66th minute when Allegaert put a shot on target, but Grand Canyon's goalkeeper made the save.

The Tritons finally broke through in the 87th minute. Barbieri delivered the assist to Namdar, who found the back of the net to bring the match level at 1-1.

UC San Diego continued to press in the closing minutes but could not find a second goal. Thiele and the Triton defense held firm to secure the draw.

TRITON TIDBITS

• UC San Diego finished the match with a 17-13 advantage in total shots and an 8-7 edge in shots on target.
• Namdar recorded the Tritons' lone goal, while Barbieri finished with an assist.
• Thiele made six saves, including a key stop against Nkabu in the second half.
• McTague registered two shots on target for the Tritons.
• The match marked UC San Diego's final exhibition of the preseason.

UP NEXT
The Tritons kick off their 2026 season at home against Navy on Thursday, August 20^th at 7:00 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.