RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The University of California, Merced women's soccer team fell 1-0 to La Sierra University in the California Pacific Conference Championship game Saturday night.
La Sierra's Mariah Anaya scored the game-winning goal in the 38th minute and goalkeeper Ashley Villagrana tallied the shutout to clinch the Golden Eagles first ever title.
La Sierra outshot UC Merced 12-9 in the match.
Anaya, Savannah Aborqui and the Bobcats D Covarrubias shared match-high with three shots.
Covarrubias was responsible for the first shot of the game, a shot stopped by Villagrana less than three minutes in.
Villagrana was forced into just two saves the rest of the match.
UC Merced's goalkeeper Ally Lozano made a season-high six saves, four in the second half.
Lozano and the Bobcats defense also had to defend a corner kick and did so successfully.
The Bobcats failed to earn a corner kick opportunity of their own.
Despite the loss, the Bobcats (7-1) finish the season with the best winning percentage in program history.
To stay up to date on everything UC Merced women's soccer in the offseason, follow @ucmercedwsoc on Twitter and Instagram and like UC Merced Women's Soccer on Facebook.
