Seniors Eric Pratt (6), Max Brixey (3), Gabe Glass (13), Andrew Breault (23), Mucho Pefok (5) and Dylan Niven played their final collegiate matches Sunday vs. UC San Diego.
BOX SCORE
SEASIDE, Calif. — Almost no scenario could have topped Cal State Monterey Bay's unbelievable victory over Cal State San Bernardino with 1.4 seconds remaining in overtime. So Sunday's 5–0 setback to UC San Diego on senior day proved to be about as anticlimactic as possible.
UCSD (9-4-4, 8-3-4 CCAA) got a natural hat trick from senior forward Scott McBride in his final collegiate appearance as well as goals from Will Pleskow and Klan Malek. Goalkeepers Josh Cohen and Cameron McElfresh combined on the 11th Triton shutout of the season.
“I think the emotions got the better of us today,” said CSUMB Head Coach
Rob Cummings of the Otters' Senior Day effort. “Today wasn't a true reflection of this team. We didn't play organized enough. UCSD is a good opponent and they work hard.”
The Tritons created a territorial advantage from the opening whistle, but a tight CSUMB defensive effort did not allow that to bear any fruit. The only offense UCSD managed through the first 29 minutes was a shot from distance by Jacob Valadez, and Otter goalkeeper
Evan Drake escorted that safely wide.
The match's fortunes changed on the half hour, however, when Cory Wolfram made a darting run down the left flank and sent a low, flat cross nearly the length of the penalty area. Pleskow's sure finish left Drake no chance and UCSD grabbed the early advantage.
The Otters came out with vim after the restart and put UCSD on its heels for the first time in the match. But by the 10-minute mark the Tritons had reversed the momentum and doubled their lead when Kian Malek worked and brilliant give-and-go with Adam Zernik before sneaking a header in off the post.
The return of sophomore center midfielder
Julian Salas to the pitch on the hour added a spark to the CSUMB attack. Salas sent one shot over the crossbar and had another effort blocked on consecutive forays into the Triton defensive third, but UCSD sapped any momentum the Otters may have generated when McBride took a feed from Evan Walker and tucked his first goal inside the post in the 71st minute.
A penetrating run down the middle by McBride created a deserved penalty kick opportunity, which he converted in the 86th minute. Walker then sent an 89th minute effort across the box and off the far post, which McBride cleaned up efficiently to complete his hat trick and close the scoreline.
“As we look towards next season, we will build off some of the good things we did attacking and will look to work on doing a better job in the final 18 getting shots off,” added Cummings.
Sunday's match marked the final collegiate appearance for six Otter seniors, each of whom made significant contributions during the CSUMB careers:
GO OTTERS!
