THE SCHEDULE
Match 3
at Azusa Pacific (2-0, 0-0 PacWest)
Thursday, Sept. 10 • 5 p.m.
Cougar Soccer Complex • Azusa
Live Video • Live Stats

Match 4
at California Baptist (0-2, 0-0 PacWest)
Saturday, Sept. 12 • 1 p.m.
Lancer Soccer Field • Riverside
Live Video • Live Stats

Match 5
vs. No. 14 Cal State L.A. (0-1-1, 0-0 CCAA)
Monday, Sept. 14 • 5:30 p.m.
Triton Soccer Stadium • La Jolla
Live Stats

UNBEATEN TRITONS FACE STERN TEST: THREE GAMES IN FIVE DAYS
Off to its first 2-0 start since 2012, the UC San Diego women's soccer team heads into a five-day stretch Thursday of three key non-conference contests against top NCAA Division II West Region opposition. The week kicks off with the Tritons' first road dates of 2015, at Pacific West Conference (PacWest) foes Azusa Pacific (2-0) on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 5 p.m., and California Baptist (0-2) in Riverside on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 1 p.m. Both games are the first halves of doubleheaders, with the Triton men also competing against the Cougars and Lancers at 7:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively. UCSD then returns home on Monday, Sept. 14, hosting 14th-ranked California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) rival Cal State L.A. (0-1-1) in a match that will not count toward the league standings. Kickoff at Triton Soccer Stadium is set for 5:30 p.m. That tilt opens a season-long five-game homestand for the Tritons through the remainder of the month.

When UCSD last won its first two games to start a season in 2012, it went on to begin 7-0 before ultimately dropping a 1-0 decision to West Florida in the national championship game in Evans, Ga. The Tritons were 5-3-2 outside of La Jolla in 2014.

MATCHDAY SPECS
Once again in 2015, all regular-season home matches at Triton Soccer Stadium are free to attend. Parking permits are required, however, on weeknights on the UCSD campus. Parking permits can be purchased at machines situated at corners of either of the nearest parking lots, behind the spectator stand, as well as the Hopkins Parking Structure behind RIMAC. Parking is free on Saturday and Sunday. All games, home and away, have live stats. Some matches will feature video and/or audio, including both road tilts this week at Azusa Pacific and California Baptist, each for a pay-per-view fee of $7.95. All live links are available here.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEK
UCSD left it late on both occasions but managed to come away with two wins at home last week to begin the new campaign. On Thursday night against Concordia Irvine, Kiera Bocchino scored a stunning equalizer from 30-plus yards into the upper right corner in the 68th minute, with Jordyn McNutt completing the comeback from a 1-0 deficit by nudging home the dramatic winner 47 seconds from the end of the first overtime period. The Tritons then blanked crosstown foe Point Loma in front of 416 spectators on Saturday night, thanks to Chula Vista product (Hilltop HS) Mary Reilly's first collegiate goal at the 87:24 mark. Kelcie Brodsky made four saves for her 20th career shutout.

TRITONS IN REGION POLL
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) released its first in-season national and regional polls on Tuesday, with UCSD appearing in the No. 8 position in the West following its 2-0 start. Click here for the complete poll.

CCAA PRESEASON POLL
UCSD was picked to finish seventh in the 2015 CCAA race, as voted on in the preseason poll conducted by the league's 13 head coaches. The Tritons accumulated 93 points to sit just behind Cal State San Bernardino at 98 points. A total of five squads garnered at least one first-place vote. Fourteenth-ranked reigning champion Cal State L.A. is favored to repeat, collecting 130 points from five first-place nods, with Stanislaus State a close second at 128 points and four first-place votes, and Cal Poly Pomona (112, one first-place vote) third. Sonoma State (109, two first-place votes) and Chico State (103, one first-place vote) followed.

BRODSKY BROADENS CAREER CREDENTIALS
Kelcie Brodsky continues to add to her stellar numbers as UCSD's fourth-year starting goalkeeper. Having set the program's single-season saves mark at 114 as a true freshman in 2012, she broke the career standard in that category as a junior, now with 293. Last Saturday night at home against Point Loma, she kept her 20th individual shutout as a Triton. The Agoura Hills product has received postseason recognition from the CCAA for each of her first three years. She made the All-CCAA Second Team as a freshman and junior, garnering All-CCAA honorable mention in between.

FOR OPENERS
UCSD is 14-1-1 in season openers in the Division II era. The Tritons were an unbeaten 13-0-1 for starters between 2000-13, with only a scoreless draw at Western Washington in 2011 preventing a perfect ledger, before dropping a 2-1 decision at then-25th-ranked Seattle Pacific in 2014. They rallied to edge Concordia Irvine, 2-1 in overtime, in the 2015 kickoff last Thursday night.

2015 SEASON OUTLOOK
The Tritons went 9-6-3 overall and 6-3-2 in the CCAA a year ago, finding their stride down the stretch in finishing the regular season 5-0-1, with four of those matches away from home and allowing just a single goal, to gain a well-earned return trip to the CCAA Championship in sixth place in the standings. Gone are five seniors, all of whom started all 18 matches a year ago, in All-American Cassie Callahan, Kylie Hill, Kiley Leshin, Izzy Pozurama and Michelle Yasutake. Back are fourth-year starting goalkeeper Kelcie Brodsky to anchor the defense, and sophomore winger Jordyn McNutt, who led the side in goals (tied-five), assists (seven) and total points (17) as a true freshman out of nearby University City High School. Brodsky and McNutt both were 2014 All-CCAA Second Team picks. Kiera Bocchino (four goals, three assists), Aimee Ellis, Katie O'Laughlin (Carlsbad/Pacific Ridge School) and Kristen Sampietro also return as Tritons who started at least 10 matches in 2014. Bocchino, who will primarily play on the left wing, and new center back Meghan Berry (San Diego Miramar College/Mt. Carmel HS), both redshirt juniors, are first-time co-captains in 2015.

ROSTER NOTES
UCSD's 32-player 2015 roster has four seniors in fourth-year goalkeepers Kelcie Brodsky and Itzel Gonzalez, fourth-year midfielder Maile Nilsson (San Diego/The Preuss School UCSD), and third-year Triton Lyndsay Gehring. Fourteen newcomers have joined the program, including 11 true freshmen. Eight of those new Tritons have made their first appearances. Nine players are from San Diego, in Nilsson, Maxia Espino (Chula Vista/Hilltop HS), Jordyn McNutt (San Diego/University City HS), Anna Nilsson (San Diego/The Preuss School UCSD), Katie O'Laughlin(Carlsbad/Pacific Ridge School) and Taylor Ramos (San Diego/Coronado HS), and newcomers Megumi Barber (San Diego/Mt. Carmel HS), Elisa Martinez (El Cajon/Univ. of Sioux Falls/Francis Parker School) and Mary Reilly (Chula Vista/Hilltop HS). Anna is the younger sister of Maile. Meghan Berry, a second-year Triton and first-year co-captain, attended San Diego Miramar College after Mt. Carmel High School, but lists Austin, Texas, as her hometown. She was born in Dallas.

HEAD COACH BRIAN McMANUS
Brian McManus is in his 29th season in charge of the UCSD women's soccer program. With a career record of 452-79-50, he has achieved the most wins (tied with Gabe Mejail of Merrimack College) in NCAA Division II women's soccer history, and fifth-most (tied with Mejail) for all divisions. McManus' career winning percentage heading into 2015 of .820, ranked among the top 10 in college women's soccer annals, both overall (No. 9) and Division II only (No. 4). He was also second in win percentage among active Division II coaches. McManus has directed UCSD to seven national championships and a record eight CCAA banners, with the Tritons advancing to the national semifinals a remarkable 15 times in his 28 years. Under his guidance, UCSD has qualified for the NCAA tournament all 13 seasons during the Division III days, and all but three (2004, 2013-14) of 15 years since the move up to Division II. McManus' Tritons missed the CCAA Championship for the first time in 2013, having earned 13 straight berths after joining the conference. They rallied late to achieve a return trip to that event a year ago.

PROMOTION FOR JONESY
Kristin Jones, a two-time national champion and two-time All-American as one of the greatest players to ever come through the storied UCSD women's soccer program, was elevated by Brian McManus to the position of associate head coach on Aug. 28. She is in her 16th straight year as a Triton, and 12th on the UCSD bench. Jones joined McManus' staff immediately upon exhausting her eligibility, ahead of the 2004 season, and became his top assistant in 2006.

ABOUT THE COUGARS
Azusa Pacific was picked by league head coaches to place third in the 14-team PacWest race in 2015. Like the Tritons, the Cougars are off to a perfect 2-0 start following shutout victories over then-10th-ranked Stanislaus State, 1-0, and Cal State East Bay, 2-0, both in Turlock. Katelyn Rogers had two of those goals, with fellow junior Sarah Klinkenberg making six saves over her two clean sheets. Thursday will mark the Cougars' 2015 home debut. Jason Surrell is in his 16th season in charge at his alma mater.

SERIES HISTORY
UCSD leads the all-time series, 9-1-1. The Tritons got past the Cougars, 2-1 in double overtime, last Sept. 11 in La Jolla. Previously, the teams had not met since a 1-1 draw in La Jolla on Sept. 14, 1999, during UCSD's final season in Division III.

ABOUT THE LANCERS
California Baptist (0-2) took up the second position behind league favorite Point Loma in the PacWest's preseason coaches' poll. CBU lost 1-0 at Western Washington and 2-1 to Concordia (Ore.), also in Bellingham, Wash., to begin the year. The Lancers host Sonoma State in their home opener on Thursday afternoon, prior to the Tritons' visit. Kristen St. Clair is the ninth-year head coach.

SERIES HISTORY
UCSD was a perfect 10-0 all-time against CBU prior to last year's 2-0 defeat in La Jolla on Sept. 13. The teams had not met since a 3-0 Triton victory in La Jolla on Oct. 16, 2000, during UCSD's first season in Division II.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Cal State L.A. (0-1-1) is still searching for its first victory of 2015 after two matches. The Golden Eagles are the defending CCAA champions, preseason favorites, and are ranked 14th nationally. They drew 1-1 with Concordia Irvine at home on Saturday night, and fell 1-0 at Point Loma on Tuesday. CSULA still hosts Azusa Pacific on Saturday, before making the trip down to La Jolla on Monday. Former USC great Isabelle Harvey is in her third season at the helm.

SERIES HISTORY
UCSD leads the all-time series, 16-10-2. The rivals faced each other both in non-conference and conference action a year ago as well. CSULA won 1-0 at home in CCAA play, just four days after a 1-1 stalemate in La Jolla. The Tritons had taken three straight prior to their 2013 season finale, when they dropped a difficult 1-0 decision at home as Andrea Lammers scored with just 42 seconds left in double overtime. UCSD needed to win that contest in order to qualify for a 14th straight CCAA Championship. The Tritons took the first meeting in 2013, 3-1 in Los Angeles on Sept. 15, overturning a 1-0 halftime deficit through a Izzy Pozurama equalizer and two Cassie Callahan goals.

GEAR UP
For the latest in Triton athletic gear, make sure to visit ucsdtritonsgear.com. Run by UCSD Athletics' online partner, Advanced-Online, the site provides an on-demand option for Triton athletic apparel and merchandise. Fans have access to over 600 products that can be processed and shipped within 24 hours.

FOR THE YOUNGER CROWD
Got some young Triton fans in your family? If they are in eighth grade or under, check out the Junior Triton Club. Membership includes a free t-shirt, admission to over 100 UCSD home athletic events, and much more!

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UP NEXT
UCSD begins its 12-match CCAA slate at home next weekend, hosting Cal Poly Pomona on Friday, Sept. 18, and Cal State San Bernardino on Sunday, Sept. 20. Kickoff at Triton Soccer Stadium is set for 4:30 p.m. for both contests, with the men following at 7 p.m.

#TritonsRising