DAVIS, Calif. — UC Davis men's soccer saw its late-season push for a Mountain West Championship berth end Friday with a 3-0 loss to San José State at Aggie Soccer Field.
The Aggies finished 2-11-5 overall and 2-6-2 in their first season of Mountain West play. UC Davis entered the finale after a win over UNLV and a two-goal comeback at conference-leading Grand Canyon, earning four points in two matches to keep their postseason hopes alive until the final night of the regular season.
San José State scored late in the first half and added two goals after the break. UC Davis increased its attacking pressure in the second half, taking nine of its 12 shots, but could not find the breakthrough.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Declan Horio nearly put UC Davis on the board twice early, testing San José State goalkeeper Ronin Axelson with two shots halftime, while Mekhai Wilson made two first-half saves for the Aggies. Jordi Tortell Dalya would however put the Spartans ahead late in the half off an assist from Isac Enriquez.
- UC Davis generated five shots in a stretch early in the second half while trailing 1-0. Ronaldo Melgoza, Joshua Gault, Jake Hobbs, Gabriel Sanchez and Nami Banks each had an attempt as the Aggies pursued an equalizer.
- Tortell Daly doubled the Spartan lead by converting a penalty kick after a successful VAR challenge from the San Jose side. Holding the two goal advantage, the Spartans would close it out with a third goal from Fernando Duarte, while the Spartan defense would also hold strong to secure the shutout.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
- Horio put both of his shots on goal. He shared the team lead in shots with Hobbs and Nico Collins, who also had two apiece.
- Wilson finished with three saves. Cole McLemore entered in relief and held San José State scoreless over the final stretch.
- UC Davis outshot the Spartans 9-8 after halftime. San José State finished with a 19-12 advantage overall and a 6-4 edge in shots on goal.
SEASON IN REVIEW
The Aggies' first Mountain West season brought conference milestones and timely contributions from new faces. On Oct. 4, UC Davis earned its first victory in the league with a 2-0 shutout at Utah Tech. Kota Brown scored his first collegiate goal, Rafael Matiello added a penalty kick and Talin Morgan recorded his first collegiate win and shutout.
UC Davis added its first Mountain West home win Oct. 28, defeating UNLV 2-1 behind goals from Horio and Tristan Wouters. Wilson made seven saves in his first start of the season to help protect the lead.
Four days later, the Aggies delivered one of their most memorable stretches of the season in Phoenix. Trailing GCU 2-0 at halftime, UC Davis rallied behind Horio's goal and Melgoza's late free kick to earn a 2-2 draw. Melgoza's first collegiate goal secured a road point against a Lopes team that remained unbeaten in conference play.
Horio's goals in consecutive matches earned him Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors on Nov. 2. Across the season, 11 Aggies scored, with Wouters and Sanchez sharing the team lead at three goals apiece. Wouters led UC Davis with seven points, while Melgoza, Gault and Hobbs shared the team lead with two assists each.
RECOGNIZING THE SENIORS
UC Davis celebrated Horio and Cole "Tex" Powell during its Oct. 23 Senior Night ceremony. Horio finished the season with two goals and an assist, while Powell appeared in 16 matches and made 10 starts.
Their four years with the program included the 2024 Big West Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance, followed by a conference semifinal appearance in 2025. This fall, they helped carry UC Davis into its next conference chapter in Dwayne Shaffer's 30th season leading the Aggies.
