Cal Poly Men’s Soccer settled for a 1-1 draw against UC San Diego Wednesday night at Triton Soccer Stadium in La Jolla.
Senior midfielder Colin Pearce gave the Mustangs an early lead in the sixth minute. Cal Poly’s pressure created chaos for the Triton backline early in the first half, leading to a set piece just outside the box. Pearce hit a strike that slipped through the hands of UC San Diego goalkeeper Nic Thiele and into the net, putting Cal Poly ahead 1-0.
The Mustangs (4-2-4) held onto their one-goal advantage for the majority of the game, but the Tritons (5-3-1) found an equalizer in the 89th minute.
After the half, the Mustang offense struggled to create opportunities. UC San Diego put a ton of pressure on the Cal Poly defense, holding the 17-7 advantage in shots.
After halftime, the Mustang offense struggled to create opportunities. UC San Diego applied consistent pressure to the Cal Poly defense and finished the match with a 17-7 advantage in shots. The Mustangs managed just one shot in the second half.
Mustang goalkeeper Mathew Guerra made four saves, keeping the Triton offense scoreless for most of the night. Both teams had opportunities from corner kicks, though UC San Diego held a 5-2 advantage.
The Tritons finally broke through late when Matteo Saffer found the back of the net off a loose ball in the box. The late goal denied Cal Poly its second straight victory following last week’s Blue-Green Rivalry win over UC Santa Barbara.
The Mustangs return home Sunday, Oct. 4, to host California Baptist at 3 p.m. at Mustang Memorial Field.