PASADENA, Calif. - Marcos Ceballos tied the program's single-game record with four goals to anchor the University of California, Merced men's soccer team to a 6-0 win over Providence Christian College Thursday morning.
The Bobcats (8-1-1, 3-0) six goals marked a season-high, while the shutout was the third straight and fifth in the past six games.
Ceballos now shares the single-game record with All-Americans Marcus DeCouto and Artemio Contreras. All three Bobcats have accomplished the feat against California Pacific Conference opponents.
The Lindsay, Calif., native scored his first of four goals in the 21st minute and had his first career hat-trick by the time the first half came to a close. All three of Ceballos' first half goals (21', 26', 26') were assisted by his brother Ivan Ceballos. The two goals in the 26th minute came just 19 seconds apart. The Ceballos tandem has now teamed up for four goals this year. All three of Thursday's goals were alike, as Ivan Ceballos played the balls in from the center circle and Marcos tracked them down ahead of the defense in stride prior to beating the keeper.
Ivan Ceballos' three assists is a 2019 single-game conference high. In program history, Ceballos is one of eight to Bobcats with three assists in a match. Active players Juan Flores and Ricky Rosas make up two from the group.
Marcos Ceballos scored his fourth goal less than five minutes into the second half. The score to put UC Merced up 5-0 was assisted by Jimmy Lorenti. Lorenti's assist was his first of the season, second of his career.
The Bobcats first and last goals were scored by Manuel Romero and Bryan Henriquez Rivera respectively. Romero scored the game-winner in the 15th minute, while Henriquez Rivera added to his already strong senior campaign with a goal in the 62nd minute from 15 yards out. Henriquez Rivera took the ball off a high hop and bounced it over the goalkeepers head.
Andres Lua and Omar Centeno were responsible for the assists. Lua has recorded points in four of the last five games.
Overall, the Bobcats outshot Providence Christian 37-6, 18-2 on goal. Marcos Ceballos led all players with nine shots, seven on goal. Henriquez Rivera and Bryan Raul Barrera each had two shots on target.
Defensively, Marco Sobrevilla and Brycen Miller combined for the shutout. Each had to make a save, Sobrevilla in the fourth minute and Miller in the 66th minute.
The shutout marks the fifth consecutive year that the Bobcats have earned a shutout in three straight conference games, the longest active streak of any California Pacific Conference team.
Los Angeles natives Michael De La Cruz and Miguel Palomar made their 2019 debut Thursday morning. The match was located less than 20 miles from their high school, Smidt Tech.
Center back Agustin Guerrero was credited for a block prior to halftime.
Looking ahead, UC Merced visits University of Antelope Valley for a 1:30pm match at the Lancaster National Soccer Center on Saturday, October 5.
