(CHULA VISTA, Calif.) For the second-straight year, PLNU Men's Soccer and Cal State Bernardino combined to score six goals in a season opener.
 
This time around, the Sea Lions were able to earn at least a point, battling to a thrilling 3-3 draw on Thursday at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center.
 
Point Loma scored all three of its goals in an electric first half, taking the lead each time to go into halftime up by one.
 
However, the Sea Lions were forced to share the spoils with the Yotes on the season's opening day after CSUSB equalized for a third time in the game.
 
"Thought it was a fair result today," Head Coach Phil Wolf said. "In the first half I thought we had the better of it and went into halftime up 3-2. At halftime, they changed formations and I thought they got the better of us. So all in all, I think a draw was fitting."
 
The visitors managed to cancel out the opener from Zach Mercieca and a pair of goals from Felix Calero.
 

Zach Mercieca opened the scoring for PLNU Men's Soccer in the 11th minute of a season-opening 3-3 draw with Cal State San Bernardino.#GoSeaLions pic.twitter.com/BVSwwKpmMr

— PLNU Sea Lions (@PLNUSeaLions) September 6, 2024

 
Mercieca opened the scoring for PLNU in the 11th minute, racing past the Yotes defense and onto a through ball from Elijah Langford. The sophomore winger then displayed tremendous composure to get the Sea Lions off to a flying start.
 
After CSUSB tied the game less than four minutes later, Mercieca then turned provider in the 22nd minute to help Calero open his account for the season.
 
Following a second Yotes goal just a couple minutes later, Langford was brought down in the box for a penalty kick, allowing Calero to calmly slot home to put the Sea Lions back in front in the 29th.
 
Point Loma held its lead until halftime, but not for much longer after that, with CSUSB also converting from the penalty spot.
 
While neither team managed to find a winner from there, the match served as a worthy sequel to last year's exciting season opener, which the Yotes won 4-2 in San Bernardino.
 

The Sea Lions tie the Yotes 3-3. pic.twitter.com/ijK2CG2rzX

— PLNU Sea Lions (@PLNUSeaLions) September 6, 2024

 
"I'm excited about our attacking potential as we could have scored four or five today, but we also conceded too easily," Wolf said. "In many ways it was a typical first game of the season. Saw some really nice things but overall, still a ton to work on."
 
Point Loma (0-0-1 overall) will now have less than 48 hours until its next match against Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.
 
"I much prefer to have more control than what we had today but a lot of that had to do with their pressing and their quality on the ball," Wolf said. "Now we need to recover for another tough CCAA opponent in Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday."