Redshirt freshman Ava Tibor scored twice and freshman Molly Blom netted the decisive goal as UC San Diego defeated UNLV 3-2 on Sunday at Triton Soccer Stadium. With this win, the Tritons move to a 1-1-1 record, while UNLV falls to 0-2-1.
Tibor opened scoring early by converting a penalty kick in the sixth minute after being fouled inside the box. UNLV responded quickly with Elisa Corvalan heading in an equalizer from a corner delivered by Torie Reardon in the 14th minute.
UC San Diego regained the lead when senior captain Lindsey Park’s shot was saved but Tibor followed up on the rebound for her second goal of the match. The teams entered halftime tied at six shots each, with both goalkeepers making one save apiece.
UNLV tied it again in the second half through Cassie Villanueva’s effort in the 50th minute. Five minutes later, Park nearly put UC San Diego back ahead but was denied by UNLV goalkeeper Allison Dellis.
The winning goal came in the 79th minute when Blom collected a loose ball and finished for her first career tally as a Triton. In total, Charlotte Wilfert made four saves for UC San Diego, including a crucial stop from close range late in the game to preserve the lead.
Tibor has now scored four goals this season—more than double any other player in The Big West Conference through two weeks of play.
Blom’s winner marked her first collegiate goal. The team debuted their white kits for this match, with Wilfert donning baby blue as goalkeeper.
Next up, UC San Diego will travel locally to face San Diego State at Snapdragon Stadium on August 30 at 7 p.m., with tickets available via Ticketmaster using promo code UCSD.
UC San Diego Athletics recently transitioned into NCAA Division I and is now part of The Big West Conference after years of success in Divisions II and III. During its previous tenure, Tritons teams claimed numerous national championships and produced hundreds of All-America honorees across multiple sports. Student-athletes continue to graduate at one of the highest rates among public institutions nationwide. More information about UC San Diego Athletics can be found at https://ucsdtritons.com or by following @UCSDtritons on social media platforms.
