UC San Diego would host USC on a bright sunny day, as both teams were coming off decent performances at Aztec Cup. UCSD and USC obtained similar results, so predicting an outcome seemed to be difficult, so it was only a matter of time until the teams could figure each other out. The game would kickoff with UCSD utilizing a more balanced approach as they deployed a natural pivot for this game. The hopes were to dominate the midfield and allow Nikita and Lucas to dominate the midfield. The first half went according to plan as the Tritons would dominate the midfield, swinging the ball side to side and not allowing USC to gain any momentum or even touch the ball. The alarms for USC began to ring, as the tritons were moving closer and closer into the box, but the score still remained 0-0. The tritons would only attempt a handful of shots, which were mostly off-target, however their defensive efforts kept the trojans far away from goal. It definitely felt like the tritons were flowing perfectly through the defense and midfield, but when the ball reached the final third, that is where the tritons looked startled. The half would end 0-0, and the tritons would discuss their strategies so that they could take the lead. The second half would begin with a few rotations, nothing too much to worry about as UCSD felt that they could continue to dominate the game even with a few starters sitting out. After 5 minutes, it seemed as if the game was going to replicate what occurred in the first half, but it wasn’t until Nikita would find himself in the box, 1 on 1 with the goalkeeper. Nikita demonstrated his high iq, as instead of forcing a shot, he tricked the goalkeeper into a challenge, which he then toe poked the ball out of the way and took the contact. This would lead to a penalty kick and he would ultimately open up the score for the Tritons. The rest of the game seemed to flow smoothly, the Trojans sat back and allowed UCSD to possess. Up until the final 10 minutes of the game, USC seemed lost, but as tensions rose along with fatigue, UCSD seemed to be getting complacent. The tritons entered into survival mode, where they would defend like never before, clearing out incoming crosses and intercepting through balls. It seemed like the clock would never run out for the Tritons, but they held on perfectly and took the victory 1-0. The Tritons will now travel to San Luis Obispo to take part in the regional tournament, to challenge for a shot at obtaining a ticket to Nationals. Good luck to the Tritons!