UCSD hosted LMU on a Sunday afternoon at Muir Field. The matchup was a fresh encounter, as the two teams hadn’t faced each other in years. This meant both sides entered the game uncertain of what to expect. UCSD's previous performance against San Marcos had provided valuable insight into areas needing improvement, helping them prepare for this contest. With a total of 19 players available, this game served as a crucial test to identify the starting eleven ahead of their first league game against CSUN in two weeks.

The starting lineup featured:

• Goalkeeper: Jorge Mendoza
• Defenders: Adrian Antonio Lopez, David Contreras Rivera, Jaydon Galindo, Cole Struck
• Midfielders: Trevor Lee Elder, Henry Rose, Lucas Venetoulias
• Forwards: Kalani Takamura, Jake Honma, Joey Asfari

The game kicked off with the Tritons attempting to maintain early possession, waiting for LMU to open up and create space for Lucas Venetoulias or Trevor Elder in the midfield. During the first ten minutes, UCSD focused on exchanges between David Contreras, Jorge Mendoza, and Jaydon Galindo. However, a few sloppy mistakes in the midfield put UCSD on the defensive, forcing Jorge Mendoza to make multiple saves to preserve the clean sheet.

Despite these challenges, the Tritons struck first. A high press forced a turnover deep in LMU’s half, allowing Kalani Takamura to capitalize and give UCSD a 1–0 lead. The remainder of the half saw both teams trading counterattacks, with the game far from steady as UCSD struggled to adhere to their instructions of maintaining possession. The first half ended with UCSD leading 1–0.

In the second half, Chris Dura, Alejandro Covarrubias, Arya Abolmaali, Vismay Manoj, and Thanh Luong entered the lineup. However, the Tritons came out flat, struggling to build on their first-half performance. Sloppy buildouts and LMU's aggressive press boosted the visitors' confidence, culminating in an equalizer after a miscommunication in UCSD’s defense led to an open opportunity for LMU.

The goal served as a wake-up call for the Tritons. They quickly adjusted, tightening their defensive shape and focusing on play down the wings. This shift created more scoring opportunities, many of which resulted in corner kicks. One such corner saw Vismay Manoj capitalize on a deflection from Thanh Luong, restoring UCSD's lead at 2–1.

With the lead in hand, the Tritons focused on moving the ball to tire out LMU. Their efforts paid off as Vismay Manoj secured a brace, scoring UCSD’s third goal to make it 3–1 and effectively seal the victory.

Now boasting two preseason wins, the Tritons look to refine their strategies and solidify their starting lineup ahead of their league opener against CSUN on October 5th at Muir Field. This game will also serve as preparation for the Aztec Cup, which is set to take place a week later.