Rough Start to the Fairytale – UC San Diego would head North to San Luis Obispo to participate in the Regional tournament in hopes of securing their ticket to the National tournament. Leading up to Regionals, UCSD had been playing exceptionally well, securing a semi-final spot at the Aztec Cup and maintaining a good league record. There were high hopes amongst the group, as the training leading up to the tournament was extremely positive and it was obvious that the team had a strong bond. UCSD would be placed into a group alongside UC Davis and USC.
The first group-stage game would be against UC Davis who, historically, had UCSD’s number. The Tritons knew the game would not come easy, but were confident they were the better team. As the game began, it seemed as if nerves were hurting UCSD. Within ten minutes, the Tritons found themselves trailing 0-1, after a few defensive mistakes. When the Tritons eventually woke up, they began to take control of the game and make their presence known, which was rewarded as Jake Honma released an incredible strike to the far right post that gave UCSD the equalizer. With ten minutes left in the half, UCSD found themselves chasing the ball. This lack of possession ultimately led to a defensive error that resulted in an own goal, and the Tritons would head into the half trailing 1–2.
UCSD was no stranger to making a comeback, and they firmly believed that they could claw their way back into the game and secure the three points. The first 10 minutes of the second half showed the Tritons still had a lot of fight in them, creating multiple chances. UC Davis began to feel the pressure as well as they were unable to create anything during this period. However, an unfortunate event resulted in a red card for UCSD, leaving them with 10 men for the remaining 30 minutes. The comeback seemed impossible with the given circumstances, but UCSD didn’t give up. They continued to push throughout the whole second half but were unable to muster up any clear-cut chances to equalize. UC Davis would earn the three points, winning the game 1–2.
The Tritons’ qualification into the knockout round now depended on results from other groups, leaving them exposed to the possibility of an early exit from Regionals.

A Revenge Match Played to Perfection – Heading into their second match, UCSD was aware that they needed to win their final group stage game against USC by at least a 2-goal margin. The two teams had played in the previous week, which ended in a disappointing 2–2 draw, leaving a lot on the table.
The first half began with UCSD being in complete control, as they were eager to find an early goal. Within 5 minutes the Tritons were already leading, as Lucas Venetoulias found himself open at the top of the box and his far-post finish beat the USC goalkeeper. After the first goal, USC became incredibly compact, setting their lines deep and not allowing the Triton midfielders to find the ball. The rest of the first half consisted of a lot of ball retention and patience. The UCSD backline was also playing very well, not allowing mistakes, and being secure and sharp in their defensive duels. The half would end 1–0 in favor of the Tritons.
The second half was underway and it was do or die for UCSD, needing a second goal to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout round alive. The Tritons would build on their first-half performance, but it seemed like USC was finally starting to wake up as they began to settle down and play their game: USC tried to make it physical, using set pieces to their advantage, and looking to play long balls over the Tritons’ back line. UCSD did a great job of reacting to the increased intensity, and it seemed like the Tritons were winning every duel simply by outworking the Trojans. Time was running out, and it seemed like the goal was not going to come until a good ball from Lucas Venetoulias found left-back Antonio Lopez down the left wing, who whipped a dangerous cross across the six-yard box. Jake Honma had made a run to the back post and, inevitably, put the ball into the back of the net with a simple finish that gave UCSD the 2–0 lead they desperately needed. For the remaining five minutes, USC would send a barrage of dangerous balls toward the Triton defense, but the back line fended off each attack without error. The game would end 2–0 in favor of UCSD, punching their ticket into the knockout round.

A San Diego Derby For A Ticket To Nationals - After a dominant and convincing victory against USC, the Tritons earned a place in the semi-finals, meaning they were one victory away from completing their goal. Their opponent would be San Diego State, meaning a San Diego derby at Regionals would determine which team would receive a ticket to Nationals.
This game was predicted to be an action-packed matchup as both teams were in-form and playing at their best. The first half would commence with SDSU retaining the majority of the possession, but their game plan was quickly deciphered by the UCSD defense, who were able to anticipate every attack. This ultimately led to UCSD catching SDSU off-guard: Vismay Manoj would give the Tritons a 1–0 lead after 15 minutes when he beat an SDSU center back to the ball and rounded the goalkeeper for an easy tap-in. For the next 25 minutes, UCSD would continue to create dangerous opportunities, while the Aztecs could not get even a sniff of the UCSD goal. Although the score remained 1–0 until the half, it felt as if the Tritons should have been leading by more.
The second half was poised to be incredibly scrappy and the Tritons knew a huge defensive effort was going to be needed. The Triton backline knew that they had to be at their best to secure the victory, and the rest of the team quickly got on board with the defensive mindset. Even though much of the second half consisted of selfless running and team defending, the Tritons still found themselves with some incredible opportunities to put the game away that they were unable to capitalize on. Those opportunities kept the Aztecs at bay, having to remain wary of possibly conceding a second goal; as a result, the Aztecs were hesitant to push many men forward and go for an all-out attack. As the time started winding down, SDSU understood the magnitude of the moment and, in their desperation, began swinging in crosses from the right and from the left, firing shots from well outside the box, which hardly troubled UCSD goalkeeper Jorge Mendoza, and booting free kicks from the half-way line towards the Tritons’ box. None of their efforts seemed to really affect the Tritons’ resolve, nor were the Aztecs able to create any clear chances for an equalizing goal. Ultimately, the Tritons were able to fend off a few last-minute set pieces by the Aztecs and win the game 1–0.
With the victory, UCSD booked its place in the NIRSA National Tournament in November, ending a seven-year drought for the program. It was a moment of celebration, excitement, and relief for the talented squad that had suffered some heartbreaking losses in past semifinals. Finally, they were able to get over the hump, and this time, the prize was qualification to a National tournament. There were many positives to take from what ended up being a great weekend for the Tritons, but they are remaining humble and are well aware of the challenges that lie ahead at Nationals. With their focus set on the tournament in three weeks, the team is prepared to work extremely hard to become the best version of themselves at Nationals and to put on the best show they possibly can.