LA JOLLA, Calif. — For forward Kali Trevithick, it was the first soccer match she had played without braces on her knees since her sophomore year in college.
So to celebrate, she put a brace in the scorebook, netting her first two goals in Scarlet and Black as San Diego State (4-2-1) held off a second half rally by host UC San Diego for a 3-2 win on Thursday night at Triton Soccer Stadium.
“I think I was just playing a little bit freer today and our team, our movement and everything was finally like clicking coming together,” the graduate transfer from UCLA said. “I’ve been adapting, they’ve been adapting to me and we’re finally connecting and it was working tonight.”
Trevithick scored the match opener as well as the ultimate match winner, and made the key switch pass across the box to assist on the second SDSU goal. Her five point night was a new personal NCAA career high, and the most in a game by an Aztec since Emma Gaines-Ramos had two goals and an assist against Idaho in the 2022 home opener.
“I think (Kali has) done a really good job of listening and asking questions and finding the right mentality and right spots,” said head coach Mike Friesen.
“Tonight she was unbelievable, she was great on the ball. The goals, obviously she contributed too, but just the general play, her defending effort, picking up balls in great spots in the first half and changing the point of attack (by) slipping people in.”
UCSD (1-3-2) had the first great scoring chances of the game just over ten minutes in, with goalkeeper Alexa Madueno coming up big on both looks in quick succession.
First, Madueno parried aside a well-struck shot by Triton forward Lizzy Teran from just beyond the penalty spot, then she recovered to deny the rebound opportunity from the near post by midfielder Courtney Hilliard.
On the next push up the pitch, Gaines-Ramos left a pass for Trevithick at the top right corner of the 18-yard box. The forward then dribbled across the top and fired back post, rolling the against-the-grain shot home along the ground past the diving effort of goalkeeper Keara Fitzgerald for a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute.
Defender Trinity Coker doubled the Aztecs’ delight in the 29th minute as she took a curled delivery over the top to just outside the near corner of the box and unleashed a left-footed smash that went bar-down for a 2-0 lead they would take into halftime. It was the first goal of the season scored by an SDSU defender.
“Trinity had a great game as well, you know, especially getting into the attack where she can just be so dangerous,” Friesen said. ”The goal was amazing… not just the finish but the first touch, the ball was fired at her to bring that down on one touch and then hit basically a little half volley.”
The Tritons refused to go quietly, building momentum off a push that began with just over 20 minutes played in the second half. Madueno made her third save of the match, then UCSD had a scoring play wiped away by an offside, before finally defender Talisa Lin converted on a free kick from the top of the box in the 72nd minute.
SDSU responded swiftly, as forward Dori Savage drew a free kick from just beyond the left side of the Triton box four minutes later. Trevithick put her laces through it to the top corner far post to push the lead out to 3-1.
Midfielder Sarah Kowack brought the hosts back within one in the 86th minute, but the Aztecs saw the result out the rest of the way.
“I feel like we finally came out strong and might have faded in the end, but we’ve got to just come out strong next time and keep it till the end,” Trevithick said. “It’s a good, good away win. Every win is a good win. We celebrate that, and we’re ready for the next one.”
The Aztecs have won back-to-back matches since falling at No. 17 Washington State on Aug. 31. Their next match will take place at Snapdragon Stadium against University of San Diego on Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. to close out the non-conference slate.
Friesen hopes that fans and the San Diego community can come support the special night at Snapdragon Stadium.
“It’s a big game for us too and we want to make sure that we’re heading into conference with another win,” he said.
