ALISO VIEJOA, Calif. -  The Soka University men's soccer team (0-0-1) kicked off its regular season with an exciting 2–2 draw against the Stanton University Elks (0-0-1) on Saturday at the Lions' Den.

The Elks struck first in the 12th minute when Kael Kortz found the net, but Soka answered back before halftime. In the 40th minute, David Olivas leveled the score with a well-placed finish off a setup from Diego Barba, giving the Lions momentum heading into the break.

Stanton reclaimed the lead early in the second half when Isiah Hamelin converted on an assist from Francesco De Marco. But the Lions showed resilience, pushing forward and finding their equalizer in the 68th minute. Armando Carrera buried the opportunity, with the assist by Kaulin Huss.

Goalkeeper Eric Aparicio anchored Soka's defense, recording three saves as the Lions held off Stanton's late pressure. Despite being outshot 10–5, Soka capitalized on their chances and matched Stanton's intensity across both halves.

The Lions' will host Cal Lutheran on Saturday, August 30th with kick-off set for 4:30 p.m.