LA JOLLA, Calif.– For the second straight year the California women's soccer team opened up its fall season with a one-goal win over UC San Diego. The Golden Bears topped the host Tritons 3-2 on the road Thursday night in the 2025 season opener with the game-winning goal coming by way of the PK in the 72nd minute.
The high-scoring affair featured a total of 28 shots with Cal winning the battle 17-11. Nine of the Bear's attempts landed on frame, which is a mark they only hit four times all of last season.
UCSD got on the board first with a goal from Ava Tibor in just the 4th minute, but Cal was just as quick to respond with an equalizer two minutes later in the 6th. After missing the entirety of last season, senior
Coco Thistle found the back of the net in her first match in 665 days. Freshman
Elhom Khursand played a perfect ball into the 18-yard box where Thistle met with the pass and fired a right-footed shot across the face of the goal into the bottom left corner.
The Bears took their first lead of the contest in the 25th minute as junior
Reese Doherty sent a deep ball from beyond the halfway line into the attacking third where senior transfer
Lumi Kostmayer found herself in a footrace with the entire Triton back line. UCSD's goalkeeper, Charlotte Wilfert, raced to meet them but was too late as Kostmayer chipped the final Triton for her first career goal in blue and gold.
Just as it did in the first half, UC San Diego came out swinging in the early minutes and found an equalizer in the 50th minute to tie the match at 2-2. Once again it was Tibor who scored, giving her a brace on the night.
In the 72nd minute the Bears would get another opportunity, this time thanks to seventh-year forward
Mia Fontana, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL. Junior
Soleil Dimry centered a ball just outside of the six-yard box for a cutting Fontana, who was immediately taken down by a Triton defender as soon as she touched the ball. This was Fontana's first match since the 2023 season finale which took place 660 days ago.
Cal was awarded a penalty kick, and it was Dimry that stepped to spot and rocketed the game winner into the bottom right corner of the goal and just under the diving Wilfert.
Senior goalkeeper
Teagan Wy made the start for the Bears picking up four saves and her first win of the season.
Cal will now head north to face Cal State Fullerton this Sunday at 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
