OREM, Utah – The Pacific men's soccer program kicked off the 2026 season, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Utah Valley on Thursday night from UCCU Stadium.
In the first match under the direction of new head coach Andres Ochoa, the Tigers (0-1) battled the Wolverines (1-0) closely, ultimately coming up on the wrong end of the one-goal outcome.
Freshman
Fateh Singh scored Pacific's first goal of the new campaign, utilizing a burst speed off a pass from graduate student
Luca Baltzer and scoring past a sprawled out UVU goalkeeper in the 12th minute. Singh, one of six newcomers in the Tigers' lineup, played 52 minutes and recorded the lone shot on goal for Pacific on the evening.
Senior
Massimo Erfani recorded two more shot attempts for the Tigers in his 74 minutes of action. Freshman
Marko Malinovic and sophomore
Joaquin d'Escoto made their Pacific debuts and competed the full length of the match, along with Baltzer.
Sophomore Alejandro Luna Caracheo drew the season-opening assignment in goal, making five saves off 19 Wolverine shot attempts. The native of Stockton, California was sharp in key moments during the middle of the match.
Utah Valley struck first in the tenth minute via Naime Odeh, but Pacific responded nearly immediately on Singh's first collegiate goal to make the score, 1-1, two minutes later.
Following a heavy trade-off of chances, the Wolverines were able to capitalize in the 77th minute, which stood as the game-winner.
Pacific will regroup on its season-opening road trip and head to St. George, Utah to take on Utah Tech at 7 p.m. PDT on Sunday from Greater Zion Stadium. The Tigers defeated the Trailblazers last season in Stockton.
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