David Trotter
Isaiah Thomas and the Bears bring a winning road record into the match at Radford.
The California men’s soccer team heads back to the East Coast this week for a nonconference game at Radford on Wednesday and an ACC clash at Virginia Tech on Sunday.
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The Golden Bears (4-6-2) have a 4-3-0 road record going into the match with the Highlanders and bring a 1-4-1 ACC record to the game with Virginia Tech, Cal’s last opponent before the regular-season finale.
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At Radford (2-8-3)
When: Wednesday, Oct. 22, 4 p.m. PT
Where: Cupp Stadium, Radford, VA
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Sidearm
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At Virginia Tech (5-3-4, 1-3-2 ACC)
When: Sunday, Oct. 26, 3 p.m. PT
Where: Thompson Field, Blacksburg, VA
Watch: ACCNX
Live Stats: HokieSports.com
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Scouting the Bears
In its last match, Cal lost to Wake Forest 2-1 on Oct. 11 at home, with sophomore midfielder Kieran Bracken Serra scoring his first career goal
Bracken Serra leads the Bears in assists (3) and ranks third in points (5)
UNC Asheville is a common opponent for Cal and Radford – the Bears beat the Bulldogs 1-0 on Sept. 23 in Berkeley, while the Highlanders lost to UNC Asheville 2-1 on Sept. 27
Boston College is the lone common opponent for Cal and Virginia Tech so far this season – the Bears won 2-0 at BC in its ACC opener Sept. 7, while the Hokies lost 1-0 to BC at home on Sept. 24
Luka Lukic – a graduate transfer from UC Riverside – was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Week for the first week of the season after the forward scored three goals in his first two games as a Golden Bear, including the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory at UCLA on Aug. 24 and a brace in a 3-2 win at Saint Mary’s in the Aug. 21 season opener
The Belgrade, Serbia, native leads Cal in goals (5), points (11) , shots (33) and shots on goal (17) and is tied with Alfredo Ortiz (who scored the game-winning goal at UNC Asheville), midfielder Cam Wilkerson (a UCLA transfer who netted the GWG at Saint Mary’s) and sophomore forward Malcolm Zalayet (who tallied the winner at BC) for the lead in game-winning goals (1)
Zalayet ranks second in points (6) and is tied with Ortiz for second in goals (2)
Ortiz (4), who ranks fourth in points, was one of 15 players named to the ACC Preseason Watch List this summer after ranking fourth in goals (3) and points (7) for the Bears in 2024
Ortiz contributed one of Cal’s biggest goals of 2024 in the ACC Championship opener last November in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, converting Cal’s lone penalty kick of the season to give the Bears a 2-1 win over the host Tar Heels
Graduate student goalkeeper Connor Lambe, who has started nine games, has compiled a 2.00 goals-against average
Senior goalkeeper Marco Brougher, who has started in three of four games played, has a 1.15 GAA and one shutout
Sophomore goalie Zack Andoh has notched a 1.26 GAA after starting the second halves of five matches
Freshman winger Callen Lewis is the son of former MLS and USMNT star Eddie Lewis, who played for the San Jose Clash (now Earthquakes) and Los Angeles Galaxy along with several English clubs (Fulham, Preston North End, Leeds United and Derby County) and tallied 82 caps for the United States
Callen Lewis – who has one goal and two points – scored his first collegiate goal in the Sept. 19 match at Clemson
Leonard Griffin – who won the NCAA championship as a UCLA player in 2002 – was named the 2023 Pac-12 Coach of the Year last season and is in his fourth year as head coach of the Golden Bears
A former professional player who was drafted No. 11 overall by the Chicago Fire in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft, Griffin made MLS stops in Portland, Oregon, in Columbus, Ohio, and in Los Angeles with the Galaxy
The Cal staff includes assistant coaches Ricardo Gutierrez – who worked with Griffin in the latter’s previous stops at Grand Canyon and USF – and Jacob Wilson, a Cal men’s soccer alumnus
Henry Foulk – another Golden Bear alum and assistant coach – is in his 25th year of mentoring the goalkeepers at his alma mater
Foulk (Cal ’84) is featured in the 2025 fall edition of the Cal Sports Quarterly for his work in producing numerous goalies who have matriculated to the professional ranks, including current pros Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC, MLS), Drake Callender (Charlotte FC, MLS), David Bingham (Charlotte FC, MLS) and Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena FC, Italy Serie B)
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Scouting the Highlanders
Radford is on a six-game winless streak and has a 2-3-2 home record
The Highlanders lost to No. 11 High Point 2-0 at home Saturday in their last game
Forward Kenshin Akimoto leads Radford in goals (5) and points (12)
Midfielder Hiromasa Iwai paces his team in assists (4)
Goalkeeper Ben Miller has played every minute for Radford, posting a 1.77 GAA with three shutouts
Chris Barrett is in his fifth season as head coach
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Scouting the Hokies
On Sunday, Virginia Tech lost at No. 17 North Carolina 3-0
The Hokies host Winthrop on Wednesday before welcoming Cal to Blacksburg, Virginia, on Sunday
Virginia Tech is 4-1-2 at home
Dagur Traustason leads the way in goals (6), points (12) and game-winning goals (3)
Alex Perez has a team-high four assists and is second in points (8)
Sam Joseph has played every game in goal and posted a 1.00 GAA with six shutouts
Mike Brizendine is in his 17th year as head coach
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Bears In The Pros
Cal has continued its tradition of producing talented alumni who move onto the professional ranks, with 15 erstwhile Golden Bears playing in the pros in the United States and abroad in 2025. Two Cal alums play in Europe in goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann (Cesena FC, Italian Serie B) – who was named to a pair of USMNT friendlies in September – and midfielder JJ Foe Nuphaus (Thisted FC, Denmark Second Division). The erstwhile Bears playing in MLS are goalkeeper David Bingham (Charlotte FC), goalkeeper Drake Callender (Charlotte FC), goalkeeper Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC), defender Sam Junqua (Real Salt Lake), defender Nike Lima (San Jose Earthquakes) and defender Wyatt Meyer (Nashville SC).
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Two former Cal teammates play in MLS NEXT Pro, with striker Nonso Adimabua on the roster for The Town FC and defender Kevin Carmichael with Huntsville City FC. Four former Bears play in the USL Championship in brothers Taylor and Evan Davila – both are midfielders with Louisville City FC – midfielder Jose Carrera Garcia (Forward Madison FC) and midfielder Jack Singer (Las Vegas Lights FC). Rounding out the list is forward Jonathan Estrada, who plays for Irvine Zeta FC in the NISA.
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Next Time
Cal hosts its regular-season finale against top-ranked Stanford on Oct. 31 in the Big Clasico. Prior to the match, the Bears will honor their graduating student-athletes in their Senior Day ceremony.
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Stay Posted
For more coverage of the Cal men’s soccer team, please follow the Bears on X (@CalMSoc), Instagram (@CalMSoc) and Facebook (/CalMSoc/).
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