LA JOLLA, Calif. — UC San Diego played North Alabama to a 0-0 tie on Sunday at Triton Soccer Stadium. The Tritons finished with 16 shots, including nine on goal, while holding the Lions to five shots on goal. UC San Diego generated early pressure with six shots and two corner kicks in the first 12 minutes of the first half, part of an 11-shot opening half.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tritons came out attacking early, recording six shots and two corner kicks through the 12th minute. UC San Diego continued to generate offensive opportunities, with
Alexis Nguyen and
Molly Blom each recording attempts as the Tritons applied pressure. North Alabama's goalkeeper turned aside several Triton chances to keep the match scoreless.
The Tritons continued to create opportunities late in the first half, with
Kiki Vostermans recording four shots, including two on goal. UC San Diego earned corner kicks in the 42nd and 45th minutes, but neither team was able to break through before halftime.
Charlotte Wilfert made two saves to keep the Lions off the scoreboard.
UC San Diego maintained its defensive stability coming out of the break, with Wilfert making saves in the 50th, 59th and 65th minutes as North Alabama looked to create opportunities. The Tritons continued to search for an opening while keeping the Lions scoreless.
The Tritons created another offensive push late in the match, with
Lana Gilligan and
Natalie Oca recording shots on goal in the 83rd minute. Oca added another attempt in the 90th minute, but North Alabama's goalkeeper made the save to keep the match tied.
Despite continued pressure from the Tritons in the closing minutes, neither team found the back of the net as the match ended in a 0-0 draw.
QUOTABLE
"We're pretty disappointed with how we showed up today. I do think that the game on Thursday took a little bit more out of us than I think the players wanted to admit. We've got to find ways to win games in different ways, and today I just think we ran out of ideas. We have to keep working, recover first and foremost, physically start feeling a little bit better, but we need to really look at ourselves in the mirror and identify and start believing in the things that we know we can do better. I think this next week is about finding the belief again and making sure that we can bring the best version of ourselves when we face LMU," said UC San Diego head coach
Kristin Jones '04.
TRITON TIDBITS
- Maddie Neier made her collegiate appearance.
- Wilfert played all 90 minutes in goal and recorded five saves.
- Vostermans led the Tritons with four shots and two shots on goal.
- Nguyen recorded three shots, including two on goal.
- Oca put both of her shot attempts on goal.
- UC San Diego recorded 16 shots, including nine on goal.
UP NEXT
The Tritons return to Triton Soccer Stadium Monday, Sept. 14, hosting LMU at 2 p.m. PT for ISEO Day.
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.
