HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Jackson Lloyd (So., San Diego, Calif.) and Joey Asaro (Sr., San Diego, Calif.) both scored four times to share Player of the Game honors as Southwest Division Champion/No. 2-ranked San Diego State University constructed leads of 8-1 and 16-2 by the conclusion of the first and second quarters, respectively, to hibernate New York Division Champion Cornell University, 27-2, in the opening round of the 2026 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship hosted by the University of Alabama and the Huntsville Sports Commission at the Huntsville Aquatics Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Courtesy the victory, SDSU – which previously placed first (2017), second (2014, 2015) and third (2016) at the Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship – advances to a quarterfinal matchup on Saturday, November 7, against the victor of a later first round game pitting Florida Division Champion/No. 10 Florida International University and Big Ten Division Champion/No. 9 Indiana University.
Cornell – which holds prior fourth (2000), 11th (2021), 12th (2013), 13th (2014) and 15th (2012) place finishes at the Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship tournament – will take on the fallen from the FIU-Indiana contest at 8:40 p.m. later this evening in a consolation game with eyes on avoiding a loss and another appearance in the event’s 13th/15th place game on Saturday, November 7.
The Aztecs never trailed versus the Big Red by racing out to a 6-0 mark with 2:26 remaining in the first quarter. Ahead 8-1 following seven minutes of action, San Diego State padded its margin to 16-2 by halftime and led 21-2 at the conclusion of the third quarter. SDSU closed out the win by outscoring Cornell 6-0 in the fourth quarter to cap off an 11-0 second half offensive surge to pick-up a 25-goal victory.
Aidan Crouch (Gr., Moraga, Calif.), Justin DiPietro (Sr., Oakley, Calif.), Adam Monroe (Gr., San Diego, Calif.), Miles Boone (Jr., San Diego, Calif.) and Tyler Piscopo (Jr., San Diego, Calif.) joined Lloyd and Asaro in notching hat-tricks with Ben Hecht (Jr., Palm Springs, Calif.), Jordan Butcher (So., San Diego, Calif.), Colton Weed (So., San Diego, Calif.) and Robert Merrick (So., Santa Rosa, Calif.) slipping in solo strikes.
Ian Manson (Sr., Temecula, Calif.) made three saves in the first half to pick-up the victory prior to Mitchell Peyton (Jr., San Diego, Calif.) turning aside seven shots in the second half for SDSU.
Yair Sais (Berkeley, Calif.) and Camden Keller (Seal Beach, Calif.) dented the twine for Cornell to account for the Big Red’s offense. Joshua Ploshay (Houston, Texas) made six saves in taking the loss.
Cornell University’s Joshua Ploshay (#1)
San Diego State University’s Colton Weed (#11) lines up a shot
San Diego State University’s Tyler Piscopo (#16) shoots on Cornell University goalkeeper Joshua Ploshay (#1)
