MERCED, Calif. - Juan Flores scored a pair of goals in the second half and the University of California, Merced men's soccer team advanced to the California Pacific Conference Championship for the second straight season and fifth time in the last seven years with a 4-1 semifinal win over top-seeded Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Thursday afternoon on Bobcat Field.

The Bobcats, who also secured their fifth straight berth to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round, will face second-seeded Marymount California University in the conference championship game. First touch from Bobcat Field is scheduled for 7:30pm.

Flores' brace was his first ever in postseason play and he becomes just the third Bobcat in program history to score at least twice in a Cal Pac Tournament match, joining Cody Golbad and Luis Villegas.

Roberto Ceja also scored a second half goal for UC Merced and then an own goal put the Bobcats on top 4-0 in the 85th minute. 

UC Merced's four-goal match was their second highest offensive output in postseason history, behind the six-goal performance in last year's Cal Pac title win.

The defending champs outshot Embry-Riddle 14-8 on the afternoon, 12-6 on target.

After a defensive heavy first half that featured just seven shots, Flores opened up the game's scoring in the 53rd minute.

Receiving the ball near the center of the park, Flores took a touch towards the sideline before eventually cutting back towards the middle and beating his defender in order to set up a left-footed shot from 10 yards out that was buried just inside the right post.

The match got chippy prior to Flores' second goal as a pair of Eagles received a red card. David Calle Ramos was shown the red due to his second yellow, while Pedro Mena was ejected due a physical altercation following an Eagle foul.

Flores scored a scissor kick goal less than 30 seconds after play resumed following Mena's red card and doubled the Bobcats lead in the 61st minute. Brian Lua and Kevin Capetillo earned assists on the play. Capetillo headed it to Lua, who in stride lofted the ball inside the goal box to the open Flores.

Capetillo's assist was his team-best 12th of the year and with it he extended his assist streak to a career-best four straight matches. Capetillo, as well as Westcliff's Karam Idris, are the first Cal Pac players since 2018 with at least 12 assists.

Ceja extended the Bobcats lead to 3-0 in the 70th minute beating the diving keeper from ten yards out. The Merced native, who has three goals in the last three games, has eleven goals overall on the year and is one of just eight players in program history to hit that mark.

Andres Lua earned the assist on the play, extending his point-streak to four straight matches. 

UC Merced took a 4-0 lead in 85th minute due to an own goal. Flores played a corner kick into the box that was headed into the back of the net by Embry-Riddle.

The Eagles got that goal right back in the game's final minute as Avaid Golan struck from 20 yards out after collecting a back-heel pass.

Marco Sobrevilla, who broke the program's all-time record with his eighth career shutout on Wednesday, made three saves and didn't allow a goal in his 78 minutes between the posts.

Andres Lua and Flores, as well as Embry-Riddle's Chiedu Ikeme, shared match-high with three shots.

UC Merced won the corner kick battle, 5-2.

The officiating crew called 26 fouls, 16 whistled against UC Merced.

Up next, the Bobcats have an opportunity to keep the trophy in Merced with the conference championship game against Marymount California University on Saturday, November 13. First touch on Bobcat Field is scheduled for 7:30pm.