UC San Diego

LA JOLLA, Calif. — UC San Diego men's soccer improved to 4-0-0 on the season with a 1-0 win over Pacific on Saturday night at Triton Soccer Stadium. Gavin Allegaert had the Tritons' lone goal in the 23rd minute.
 
A physical contest saw a combined 27 fouls and seven yellow cards issued. The Tritons dominated the stat sheet, holding a 21-4 advantage in shots and an 11-1 advantage in shots on target. The hosts also took 13 corner kicks while only conceding two.
 
UC San Diego had 57% possession, with 73% of that possession in the offensive half of the field. Goalkeeper Nic Thiele made the lone save he was asked to make as the Tritons have yet to allow a goal this season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Pacific had a shot on goal in the second minute, but that was the Tiger's only shot on frame in the contest. From there it was all UC San Diego as the Tritons had an 11-2 advantage in shots and a 7-1 advantage in shots on goal before the break.
 
The Triton pressure paid off in the 23rd minute with an 11-pass sequence that resulted in Allegaert's goal. A Nate Morgan interception on defense gave the Tritons possession at the top of their own box, which they worked into a free run for Sean McTague down the right wing. His cross found Allegaert at the back post, who fired home the goal with his left foot.
 
The first half later turned chippy, with both teams being whistled for five fouls each. Three yellow cards were handed out in a little over two minutes starting in the 37th minute. The one given to UC San Diego's Liam Zubak was subject to video review for a potential red card after a challenge by Pacific, but it stayed as a yellow after being checked by center referee Pavel Georgiev.
 
The second half was more of the same as UC San Diego out-shot Pacific 10-2. The Tritons had four shots on target.
 
UC San Diego's best chance of the second half came just five minutes after halftime when Oren Stuppel's shot was pushed into the post by the Pacific goalkeeper. The four second-half shots on target came from four different Tritons, with seven ultimately registering a shot on target during the match.
 
The Tritons also had eight second-half corner kicks, while Pacific had none. The physicality from the first half also returned and stepped up a notch after the break as the two teams combined for 17 more fouls and an additional four yellow cards. The Tritons initiated a challenge on a caution shown to Pacific in the 88th minute, which also stayed as a yellow card after review.
 
Allegaert and Tyler Cash both had shots saved in the 84th minute. Pacific then had a last-ditch effort in the 85th, but that shot went well wide.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• The Triton defense has yet to allow a goal this season (360 minutes), marking the team's longest shutout streak in its Division I era. The previous record was a 251-minute stretch in 2022.
• With four wins through their first four matches, the Tritons now have the best winning streak in their Division I era.
• UC San Diego has 10 goals this season after tallying 10 total last season.
• The Tritons have won three-straight matches by a 1-0 scoreline.
• Allegaert's goal was the first of the sophomore's career.

QUOTABLE
"We had another great night where both shifts of guys came in and really produced and performed," head coach Jon Pascale said. "I thought we were on the front foot for most of the game. Pacific found little moments in the game to kind of get some possession, but I thought the guys did a fantastic job of not letting those possessions ever result in anything that looked like a chance. I would have liked to have gotten that second goal and put the game away, but it was good for the guys to be able to grind out a game. They put us in a couple of tough situations and our guys kept their heads pretty well."
 
UP NEXT
The Tritons hit the road again, visiting UNLV next Thursday, Sept. 10, before traveling to Utah Tech on Sunday, Sept. 13.
 
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.