MERCED, Calif. - Freshmen Jocelyne Garcia and Zoe Juarez notched career-first's and junior Ally Lozano earned her third shutout of the season as the University of California, Merced women's soccer team took down Benedictine University Mesa 2-0 in the California Pacific Conference opener Friday night on Bobcat Field.
The Bobcats (3-2-1, 1-0) are over .500 for the first time in 2019 and begin conference play 1-0 for the fourth consecutive season. All-time, the Bobcats have won six of eight conference openers.
Joc. Garcia scored the game-winning goal in the 69th minute from 13 yards out. The score marked Garcia's first career game-winning goal, second goal overall and it was assisted by Emily Burnett and Noodles Sidhu. Sidhu started the offensive sequence by intercepting a Redhawk pass near the center circle.
Juarez doubled the lead four minutes later with her first career goal. Juarez, who scored from the top of the 18, is the fourth different Bobcat freshman to score a goal this season. Opal Ward and Emily Burnett earned the assist.
Burnett's two assists Friday night brings her career total to 12, which is now good for fourth on the program's all-time assists list.
Overall, UC Merced outshot BenU Mesa 20-7 and won the corner kick battle 7-1. However, the shots on goal were even at six a piece.
Lozano stopped all six Redhawk shots, including a save two minutes into the second half that marked the 100th save of her career. Four of her six saves came in the second half as she went on to earn her eighth career shutout.
Jenn Salinger and Joc. Garcia shared match-high with three shots. Both got a shot off in the first nine minutes. Burnett beat them for the first shot of the game, coming in the second minute that was wide.
Sydney Quintero forced Redhawks keeper Lydia Rankin into her first save in the 13th minute.
Quintero was one seven different Bobcats who got a shot off before the midway point of the first half.
Towards the end of the half, Salinger forced the Rankin into the toughest save she made on the night. Salinger smashed a shot from about seven yards out that Rankin had to react to very quickly and ended up batting it down and falling on it.
Rankin also saved a Ciera Santos shot the minute before.
BenU Mesa only got two shots off in the first half, one each in the 14th and 40th minute.
The second half had less shots than the first half, but the Bobcats made their shots count and scored the two goals.
Defensively, Lozano was forced to make two saves in the halves first five minutes to keep the game scoreless. She also had to make a save in the 61st minute while the game was still scoreless.
Lozano's back line helped her out all night and the Bobcats have now held all six teams under their shots per game average. Four of the six teams, including BenU Mesa, have been held under ten shots when playing UC Merced.
Up next, UC Merced hosts two-time defending California Pacific Conference Champion Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The match is scheduled for Sunday, September 29 at 1:00pm on Bobcat Field.
