CSUN Men's Soccer Back in Action as Matadors Host San Diego in Exhibition

Saturday, August 9

Northridge, Calif

6:00 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

San Diego

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

CSUN Men's Soccer Back in Action as Matadors Host San Diego in Exhibition

8/8/2025 11:32:00 AM | Men's Soccer

NORTHRIDGE, Calif --- CSUN Men's Soccer takes the field for the first time this fall when it hosts the University of San Diego Toreros in an exhibition match on Saturday at Matador Soccer Field. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. and fans receive free admission for the contest.

San Diego is the first of three exhibition matches on the season. After Saturday's game, the Matadors will go to UCLA on August 15. Then, CSUN will open the regular season with two matches in Tulsa against the Golden Hurricanes (08/21) and Oral Roberts (8/24), before returning for a last exhibition game against Biola (08/30) at home.

TEAM OUTLOOK
The Matadors are set to play their 27th season under head coach Terry Davila. A total of 18 letterwinners return to the team in 2025. CSUN has also added 14 newcomers, including eight transfers and six freshmen.

CSUN is returning star junior Jorge Solorzano who is coming off a 2024 campaign where he was named to the All-Big West Second Team. Solorzano followed up his Big West Freshman of the Year campaign with a standout sophomore season in 2024. The Palmdale native finished tied for third on the team in goals with three to go with seven points and one assist. Solorzano topped the Matadors with 35 shots, good enough for ninth in the Big West, and nine shots on goal. He started a career-high 16 matches, playing in 17 total while amassing 1,309 minutes on the field. In Big West play, Solorzano hit the net once, which was an equalizer against UC Davis in a 2-2 tie.

Four other key returners are seniors Jake Shaked, Siddiq Lezzar and Arturo Reveles and junior Zack Harris. Shaked, Lezzar, and Reveles played and started in all 17 games in 2024. Six goals were scored between the three of them. Harris did his work without scoring, as he led the team in assists with four.

Other members returning include juniors Sebastian Fuentes and Michael Blevins, sophomores Emanuele Susi, Ian Boras and Ryan Chu as well as seniors Odin Rosten, Eyifehn Forfor, Enrique Pineda, Finn Werner and Zion Wagoner.

In the net, the Matadors will return two goalkeepers in Jose Mendiola and Dorian Drucks, while adding Bryan Castaneda, a junior from Carlsbad, Calif. Castaneda is making his way to Northridge via Mira Costa CC, where he won goalkeeper of the year in his time there.

Out of the six freshmen, all six of them come from California. Francisco Garibay comes from Oxnard, Miles Johnson comes from Oak Park, Daniel Garcia comes from Huntington Beach, and Devin Davila along with Dave-Ryan Tankou come from Woodland Hills.

A LOOK BACK AT 2025
After being picked to finish sixth in the Big West, CSUN ended its 2024 with a 2-8-7 overall record. Team highlights included upsetting No. 11 LMU 2-1 on the road on Aug. 25 to earn the first win of the campaign. Also, CSUN tied with No. 18 James Madison to kick-off the season 0-0 at Matador Soccer Field. Merrick Cook had three saves in the draw.

ONE GOAL DECISIONS
CSUN played in an array of one-goal decisions throughout 2024. Overall, the Matadors have played nine matches determined by one goal with another four matches finishing in draws. Going back to 2023, 22 of CSUN's last 23 games have finished as a draw or by a one-goal outcome.

ABOUT SAN DIEGO
USD posted a WCC best 15-3-2 overall record and a 7-1 record in conference play in 2024. The Toreros were a perfect 8-0 away from home and also managed to take down No. 10 Duke in the NCAA Championships Second Round matchup en route to earning a sweet sixteen berth. USD has won the regular season WCC Championship in three consecutive years. San Diego has also been ranked as the No. 10 team in the nation by the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll.

#GoMatadors