The San Diego State Aztecs opened their 2026 campaign with a convincing 7-1 victory over the Life Pacific Warriors, marking the program’s first regular-season win of the year.
After a modest start that included a 1-0 friendly triumph over Point Loma and narrow defeats to Liberty and a draw with Navy, the team entered the match with a blend of experience and fresh faces.
Coach Ryan Hopkins, now in his seventh season, fielded a squad composed of four returning starters, 20 newcomers and a single proven goal scorer from the previous campaign, a composition that seemed to fuel the second-half surge.
Key Performers Emerge
Sophomore midfielder Greyson Moreno opened the scoring with a striking strike from outside the box in the second half, while fellow midfielders Lucas Caffo and Nik Orth added multiple goals, including a penalty converted by Orth and a free-kick that sealed the final tally.
The Aztecs’ attack was relentless, generating 23 shots in the latter period while Life Pacific managed only three attempts that missed the target, one of which rebounded for Angel Ballesteros to notch the Warriors’ lone goal.
Jaxson Hutcheon, Adam Okorodudu and Orth contributed the remaining goals, pushing the final score to 7-1 and underscoring the depth of talent introduced this season.
Looking ahead, the Aztecs are scheduled to face Cal Poly next Sunday before traveling to Cal State Bakersfield on September 5 and Sacramento State on September 11, a slate that promises further tests of their newfound chemistry.
Coach Hopkins praised the second-half performance, describing it as ‘flying right out of the gate,’ and hinted that the early win could be a catalyst for a competitive run in the months to come.