LA JOLLA, Cailf. - Sophomore Christian Cordell's first collegiate goal in the 62nd minute propelled the University of California San Diego to a key victory, 1-0, over Colorado School of Mines in a non-conference men's soccer game Thursday night at Triton Soccer Stadium.

With the result, UC San Diego improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2009. Colorado Mines, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference favorite that was ranked No. 6 nationally in the preseason, fell to 1-2 following a second successive loss.

In that 62nd, Cordell, a wing midfielder heading into his third year on the UCSD campus, took a throw-in from the right side. Senior forward Sam Palano played the ball right back to him with a single touch. Cordell cut toward the middle and unleashed a left-footed effort from the right diagonal outside the 18-yard box, that managed to find its way through traffic and into the left side of the target. It was Palano's third assist on the year, tying him for the team lead with Malek Bashti.

Aside from the score, the visiting Orediggers seemingly had the better of the chances. Their greatest opportunity to equalize came in the form of a wicked direct free kick off the foot of junior midfielder Nikolaus Grotz that smacked off the left post with just over eight minutes left. The ensuing rebound was stuck in the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed due to an offsides call. Then with under 10 seconds left, Ford Edwards took a shot from a tight angle inside the penalty area, which senior goalkeeper Cameron McElfresh parried away on his near post.

McElfresh finished with a season-high four saves to earn his first shutout of the season and milestone 20th for his career. Senior center back Kuba Waligorski was particularly impressive in front of him, cutting out every attack directed his way. He had sat out the previous match nursing a slight knock, after starting all 39 since his arrival in La Jolla. Fellow senior Riley Harbour, alongside Nolan Mac, Kyle Panganiban and Jeff Powers, all also played the full 90 minutes on the night.

McElfresh indeed was called upon to tip Grotz's ambitious free-kick attempt from distance, narrowly over the crossbar within a minute after Cordell's decisive strike.

Leo Chely was credited with a single save for Mines. Shots finished even at 12-12.

Thursday night was the first-ever meeting between the programs, with Mines in California for the first time since 1997. CSM plays at Point Loma on Saturday.

UCSD continues a season-long five-game homestand this Saturday, Sept. 10, with another non-conference affair in primetime against Saint Martin's of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Kickoff at Triton Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m.

Triton Notes: UCSD was previously 3-0 in each of ninth-year head coach Jon Pascale's first two seasons, in 2008 and 2009 ... The Tritons have gotten five goals over their three wins, all from different scorers ... With Cal State East Bay dropping a 3-2 home decision to Upper Iowa on Thursday, UCSD is now the lone California Collegiate Athletic Association squad at 3-0 ... All three victories have been by one-goal margins, with all three deciders coming after the hour mark ... The Tritons are now 8-1-2 over their last 11 in La Jolla going back to the start of their 2015 campaign ... The result meant Mines' first true road loss since a 1-0 defeat at UCCS on Oct. 22, 2014 ... Christian Cordell's goal was UCSD's only shot on target.

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