LANCASTER, Calif. - The University of California, Merced women's soccer team beat University of Antelope Valley on Saturday afternoon, 4-1 at the Lancaster National Soccer Center to remain undefeated on the season.
The Bobcats (4-0) have now won four straight games, their longest winning streak in California Pacific Conference play since the 2016-17 season.
Jocelyne Garcia, Isabella Spiva, Ciera Santos and Kaylee "Skittles" Melendez scored a goal for the Bobcats. Santos was responsible for the game-winning goal which ended up coming in the 44th minute.
Garcia has now scored a goal in four straight games, the first Bobcat to accomplish that feat since Emily Burnett in the middle of the 2018 campaign.
As for Spiva, Santos and Melendez, the trio has each scored in two of the Bobcats four games this year.
UC Merced outshot Antelope Valley 21-6 in the win, 13-4 on goal. The Bobcats haven't allowed double figure shots all season. Emily Burnett held match-high with eight shots.
The Bobcats second shot of the game resulted in a goal, Spiva's score in the 14th minute. Antelope Valley tied the game roughly 10 minutes later as they benefited from a UC Merced own goal.
Towards the end of the half, Antelope Valley had an opportunity to take the lead but Ally Lozano stopped a shot from the Pioneers Alyssa Elias.
Two minutes before intermission, the Bobcats earned a corner kick opportunity and the kick into the box from Ciera Santos was mishandled by the Pioneers goalkeeper and rolled over the line, giving the Bobcats a 2-1 lead at the half.
Santos and the Bobcats earned another corner kick out of the break and Kylee Silva and Emily Burnett forced Antelope Valley's goalkeeper, Jacqueline Botello, into making a trio of saves within the first 15 minutes of the second half.
Head coach Hannah Brown's team kept at it and Garcia was able to beat Botello in the 72nd minute, rocketing a line drive into the net from the top of the 18-yard box.
The Bobcats controlled possession the rest of the way, outshooting Antelope Valley 6-1 and earning four corner kicks.
Melendez finalized the scoring in the 85th minute, intercepting a ball from a Pioneers defender and burying her shot into the far corner.
The Bobcats have scored at least four goals in five straight conference games dating back to last season.
Carly Kissinger earned her first career start in the win, while Veronica Vasquez made a career-high three stops in 45 minutes of action. Lozano played the first 45 minutes.
Up next, UC Merced closes a three-game road trip at Simpson University on Wednesday, March 24. First touch from Redding, Calif., is scheduled for 4:00pm.
