San Diego State University will host UC San Diego in the regular season finale of the 2026 Pac-12 men’s soccer campaign on Saturday, October 29, at 7 p.m. The match at the SDSU Sports Deck carries significant weight as the Aztecs can clinch a Pac-12 Tournament berth with either a win or a draw. The game will be streamed live on the Pac-12 YouTube channel.
The San Diego State Aztecs men28099s soccer team stands third in the Pac-12 conference with a 1-0-4 record, remaining the only undefeated squad in the league this season. They have achieved a program record eight draws, with one more potentially tying the NCAA28099s all-time draw record. The Aztecs lead the Pac-12 in defensive metrics, allowing an average of just 1.00 goal per conference game and posting shutouts in 40 percent of those contests.
Before kickoff, nine seniors will be honored in recognition of their contributions: Carson Ballagh, Nic Diana, Avery Huggins, Jonah Kawamura, Andrew Klott, Cedric Ngounou, Dylan Presto and Juan Zepeda. Head coach Ryan Hopkins emphasized the importance of the match, highlighting the drama of a crosstown rivalry on senior night with a tournament spot on the line.
San Diego State features a youthful roster this season, with 20 newcomers making up the team and just 17.8 percent of playing minutes returning from last year28099s squad. Despite the turnover, key players have stepped up: Goalkeeper Nic Diana leads the Pac-12 in goals allowed average, save percentage and shutout percentage, while forward Nik Orth leads the team with five goals and 12 points. Freshman Gio Aguirre, recognized nationally as a top 100 freshman, leads the team in assists with four.
The UC San Diego Tritons enter the match with a 7-6-3 overall record and 1-1-3 in Pac-12 play, currently fourth in the conference. Their defense ranks second in the league against goals allowed. The Tritons are led offensively by Ryan Namdar, who has accumulated 16 points and seven goals this season, and goalkeeper Nic Thiele, who posts a goals allowed average of 1.26. UC San Diego is coached by Jon Pascale, now in his 19th season.
CSB Take
This regular season finale serves as a critical juncture for the San Diego State Aztecs men28099s soccer team to secure their place in the Pac-12 Tournament, maintaining their unbeaten conference record. The combination of honoring senior players and facing a local rival with tournament implications adds emotional and competitive intensity to the match. SDSU28099s strong defensive foundation and emerging offensive leaders position them well to achieve their goals, while the Tritons present a legitimate challenge in pursuit of climbing the conference standings.
Source: Original report
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