LA JOLLA, Calif. — The San Francisco State men's soccer team positioned itself with a pair of first-half leads but ultimately fell 4-2 to host UC San Diego on Tuesday night at Triton Soccer Stadium.
- The No. 6 seed Gators (10-7) fell to the No. 3 Tritons (14-4) for the second time this season.
- SF State was outshot 14-8 but both teams placed four shots on goal.
- Eight cautions were handed out, four to each team. SF State junior Feliciano Cardenas picked up his second card of the match in the 90th minute, meaning he'll have to sit out the team's first official contest of 2020.
SF State jumped out to an early lead in the ninth minute on freshman Julio Gonzalez Ponce's second goal of the season, a golazo from the top of the circle.
UC San Diego scored the equalizer in the 18th minute when Andy Sartor connected with a sliding Brett Jones to tie the score at 1-1. The Gators quickly regained the lead when a foul in the box resulted in a Gators penalty kick. Jonathan Orozoco buried the shot for his team-leading fifth goal of the season.
The second lead was short-lived though as Jones tied it yet again with his 12th goal of the season. This time, Allesandro Allen connected with the junior forward, whose shot went into the upper left back corner. The score remained 2-2 at halftime.
In the 63rd minute, freshman Cooper Lachenbruch connected with Jonathan Sabouri for the game-winner. Lachenbruch later took it himself and scored top shelf in the 68th minute to give the Tritons a two-goal advantage and dampen the Gators' comeback hopes.
Crinan Dunbar, who scored both of the Gators' goals on Sunday, had a shot saved in the 76th minute and Gonzalez Ponce fired a shot wide in the 85th minute.
Peter Swinkels did not make a save for just the second time in three seasons. Bryan Shihad made five saves but allowed both Gators goals.
