ROHNERT PARK, Calif. - The UC San Diego and Sonoma State University men’s soccer teams had first-half goals cancel each other out in a 1-1 double-overtime draw Friday at Seawolf Soccer Field.

UCSD earned a valuable road point toward its postseason hopes while moving to 9-4-3 overall and 4-2-3 in the CCAA. Sonoma State is 7-7-2 overall and 2-5-2 in league play.

UCSD captain Brandon Bauman registered the first shot by either team in the 13th minute, but his attempt was saved by Seawolf junior Sean Taufer.

The Tritons scored the opener at the 27:48 mark through substitute freshman winger Sean Pleskow. The goal was Pleskow’s third, with Bauman providing his team-best seventh assist on the play.

That edge lasted just over 10 minutes before SSU sophomore Cedric Dinane converted a penalty kick into the equalizer at 38:37. It was his fifth goal of 2014.

After the sides traded four shots apiece in the second half, UCSD had a golden opportunity to steal it late in the second overtime, when freshman Zachary Lagotta (San Diego/Cathedral Catholic HS) took an effective through ball down the left diagonal, dribbled into the Seawolf penalty box and cut inside, but his right-footed shot landed in the waiting arms of Taufer.

Sonoma State then had a pair of dangerous crossing efforts from either side in the remaining seconds, only for junior Triton goalkeeper Cameron McElfresh to get his gloves on both. The latter was credited as a shot for Dinane and save for McElfresh.

McElfresh made two saves on the day. Taufer came up with four stops for SSU, which held a slim 8-7 edge in shots at the end of the 110 minutes of soccer.

“It was another really hard-fought game,” said Triton head coach Jon Pascale. “It took us a few minutes to figure out how Sonoma State was playing. Once we did, we thought they were somewhat predictable, but still very good. Our guys fought really hard, and it was a great team effort. Everybody pinched in and did their job, and we grinded our way through it. I give the guys a lot of credit for hanging in there.”

With UCSD’s striker tandem of Alessandro Canale out through injury and Malek Bashti unavailable due to yellow-card accumulation, true freshman Uly de la Cal drew his first collegiate start at forward alongside sophomore Sam Palano.

UCSD remains in Northern California and concludes a season-long four-match road swing at Humboldt State on Sunday, Oct. 26. Kickoff at College Creek Field is slated for 2 p.m. The Jacks sit a mere three points back of the Tritons in the standings.

#TritonsRising

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