MERCED, Calif. - The University of California, Merced women's soccer team won their fifth consecutive California Pacific Conference home opener with a 4-1 victory over Simpson University on Wednesday afternoon.
Emily Burnett scored her first goal of the season in the win to tie the program's all-time goals record. Burnett is now tied atop the list with Jenn Salinger and Claudia Diaz. All three Bobcats have 31 career goals.
Burnett's goal, which came after the Bobcats profited from a Simpson own goal in the 22nd minute, also stood as her ninth career game-winning goal. Burnett's score came as a result of a beautiful pass from freshman Stephanie Medina beyond the center line. The sprinting Burnett outran a pair of Simpson defenders before lacing a ground ball past the diving keeper.
The goal came in the 34th minute and the assist was the first of Medina's career.
In the 42nd minute, Burnett helped set up a clean look for Ciera Santos to extend the Bobcats lead to 3-0. While inside the 18, Burnett found Santos awaiting on the penalty stripe and Santos rocketed a one-timer past the diving keeper for her first career goal.
Burnett's assist was the 14th of her career and she is now tied with Karen Lepe for fourth all-time.
Jocelyne Garcia, who was a factor in the sequence that led to the Bobcats first goal (Simpson own goal), got in the scoring column herself in the 78th minute. In one of the more impressive goals of her career, Garcia buried a shot from 25-yards out that was just out of the airborne keepers reach.
The reigning Cal Pac Player of the Week has scored in back-to-back games for the first time in her career. Kim Garcia was credited with an assist, marking the first time in her career registering an assist in back-to-back games.
Overall, the Bobcats outshot Simpson 26-7 and won the corner kick tally 6-2. Garcia and Burnett each took five shots, while Santos managed to get off three.
Simpson's lone goal came from Caroline Forseth in the 78th minute off an assist from Mackenzie Beringer.
Ally Lozano and Veronica Vasquez split time between the posts. Lozano pitched a shutout in the first half with three saves and extended her Cal Pac regular season shutout streak to 310 minutes dating back to last season.
Vasquez recorded her first career save, while Carly Kissinger got off her first career shot in the Bobcats win.
The two teams combined for 21 fouls and four yellow cards. The Bobcats were cautioned three times.
Looking ahead, the Bobcats begin a three-game road trip with a match against Providence Christian College on Thursday, March 18. Time and location have yet to be announced.
