HAYWARD, Calif. - The University of California, Merced men's soccer team lost 1-0 to Cal State East Bay in the 2022 season opener on Thursday afternoon at Pioneer Stadium.

CSUEB's Jacob Castro netted the game's lone goal in the 17th minute. 

Thursday's match marked UC Merced's first ever contest against a California Collegiate Athletic Association member and despite the loss, head coach Albert Martins and the Bobcats were in it for all 90 minutes and outshot the Pioneers 18-16. Eight of the Bobcats 18 shots were on goal, including one by Andres Lua in the opening minute. Lua would go on to hold game-high with five shots, three on target.

Marcos Ceballos and Kevin Capetillo got off four shots and three shots, respectively.

Marco Sobrevilla was solid in the net for the Bobcats and by playing the full 90 minutes, the senior passed Heriberto Diaz to become the program's all-time leader in goalkeeper minutes played with 3,205 career minutes. Sobrevilla stopped nine shots in the match, his highest mark in a regular season contest and the second most saves in his career. Six of his nine saves came in the first 24 minutes of action. Sobrevilla's defense limited the opponent to seven shots the rest of the afternoon.

The Bobcats worked CSUEB keeper Zavier Hajdukovich in the second half, however he was up for the task and made two early saves and then stopped three more down the stretch.

The Bobcats were held to just two corner kicks, while allowing the Pioneers to take just three.

The physical match saw the officials whistle 37 fouls and issue cautions to nine different players. CSUEB finished the game with five yellow cards, UC Merced was given four.

UC Merced's Diego Fresquez earned his first career start in the season opener. Ernesto Velazquez made his UC Merced debut, while four freshmen made their collegiate debut: Omar Garcia, Jesus Ponce, Edwin Casillas, and Daniel Hicks. Ponce and Garcia were the first Bobcats off the bench.

Looking ahead, UC Merced hosts Menlo College in the home opener on Sunday, August 28 at 7:30pm on Bobcat Field.