Saturday, November 7
Riverside, Calif.
7:00 PM
California Baptist University
vs
San Diego State University
Photo by: Diego Mazun
11/6/2026 12:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
RIVERSIDE --- Postseason soccer has returned to California Baptist, as the Lancers look to punch their ticket to the Pac-12 Championship Match with a win in Saturday's conference semifinals. Hosting the Aztecs of San Diego State, CBU takes on the only team to keep the Lancers off the board in the last two seasons.
Saturday marks the second meeting between the Lancers and the Aztecs this season. Their previous battle on October 17, which was Senior Night for the Lancers, saw neither team find the back of the net as the Aztecs ended a streak of 32 consecutive matches in which CBU scored at least one goal.
That draw was also one of nine by the Aztecs this season, five of which came in conference play. SDSU was the only team to finish unbeaten in conference play, closing with a 1-0-5 record and the third seed in the conference tournament.
The Lancers, the second seed in the postseason, ended the conference regular season with 11 points and a 3-1-2 record. Momentum is on the side of CBU, as the Lancers enter the postseason unbeaten in their last six matches, while suffering just one loss in their last 13.
CBU's lone loss over that stretch was a 4-1 final against Oregon State, the top seed in the conference tournament. OSU will host UC Riverside on Sunday night. Should Oregon State win, they will host the Pac-12 Championship Match next weekend. An Oregon State loss means the winner of Saturday's battle in Riverside will host the championship match.
The Lancers are hosting in the postseason for the second year in a row, and they will be looking for redemption. CBU was the host site for the 2025 WAC Tournament, in which the Lancers held the top seed. CBU's chances at winning the WAC on their home turf were nullified when San Jose State eliminated the Lancers in overtime of the semifinals.
Should the Lancers right the ship in 2026, advance to the Pac-12 Championship Match, and ultimately win, it will come with the program's third trip to the NCAA Tournament.
CBU is averaging two goals per match over their last six appearances, including a four-goal outburst in Santa Barbara. Two of those goals came from sophomore Nico Coope, who was named the final Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday. Coope was playing in place of junior Blake D'Agostino, who was serving a yellow card suspension.
D'Agostino, the Lancers' top goal scorer, will be back on Saturday after serving his yellow card and subsequent red card suspensions.
The Lancers will also have goalkeeper Ulrik Stroem at their disposal. The freshman ended the regular season fourth in the nation with eight shutouts in 15 appearances. CBU owns the seventh-best shutout percentage in Division I, having blanked opponents nine times.
Kickoff for Saturday's Pac-12 Semifinal is scheduled for 7 p.m. from the CBU Soccer Stadium. Tickets for the match are available HERE. For those who cannot attend, the match will be streamed on the Pac-12 Conference's YouTube page.
Saturday marks the second meeting between the Lancers and the Aztecs this season. Their previous battle on October 17, which was Senior Night for the Lancers, saw neither team find the back of the net as the Aztecs ended a streak of 32 consecutive matches in which CBU scored at least one goal.
That draw was also one of nine by the Aztecs this season, five of which came in conference play. SDSU was the only team to finish unbeaten in conference play, closing with a 1-0-5 record and the third seed in the conference tournament.
The Lancers, the second seed in the postseason, ended the conference regular season with 11 points and a 3-1-2 record. Momentum is on the side of CBU, as the Lancers enter the postseason unbeaten in their last six matches, while suffering just one loss in their last 13.
CBU's lone loss over that stretch was a 4-1 final against Oregon State, the top seed in the conference tournament. OSU will host UC Riverside on Sunday night. Should Oregon State win, they will host the Pac-12 Championship Match next weekend. An Oregon State loss means the winner of Saturday's battle in Riverside will host the championship match.
The Lancers are hosting in the postseason for the second year in a row, and they will be looking for redemption. CBU was the host site for the 2025 WAC Tournament, in which the Lancers held the top seed. CBU's chances at winning the WAC on their home turf were nullified when San Jose State eliminated the Lancers in overtime of the semifinals.
Should the Lancers right the ship in 2026, advance to the Pac-12 Championship Match, and ultimately win, it will come with the program's third trip to the NCAA Tournament.
CBU is averaging two goals per match over their last six appearances, including a four-goal outburst in Santa Barbara. Two of those goals came from sophomore Nico Coope, who was named the final Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday. Coope was playing in place of junior Blake D'Agostino, who was serving a yellow card suspension.
D'Agostino, the Lancers' top goal scorer, will be back on Saturday after serving his yellow card and subsequent red card suspensions.
The Lancers will also have goalkeeper Ulrik Stroem at their disposal. The freshman ended the regular season fourth in the nation with eight shutouts in 15 appearances. CBU owns the seventh-best shutout percentage in Division I, having blanked opponents nine times.
Kickoff for Saturday's Pac-12 Semifinal is scheduled for 7 p.m. from the CBU Soccer Stadium. Tickets for the match are available HERE. For those who cannot attend, the match will be streamed on the Pac-12 Conference's YouTube page.
Players Mentioned
Tuesday, August 25
Friday, September 05
Tuesday, September 10
Tuesday, November 28
