MERCED, Calif. - The University of California, Merced men's soccer team traded blows with Benedictine University Mesa on Saturday afternoon and played to a 3-3 draw after 90 minutes of action on Bobcat Field.

With the draw, the Bobcats (5-1-3, 2-0-2) remain one of just three unbeaten teams in California Pacific Conference play. The Bobcats are also unbeaten in eight straight matches overall this season, tying the longest streak over the last three seasons.

Andres Lua, Diego Fresquez and Kevin Capetillo all scored for the Bobcats. Lua and Fresquez scored in the first 12 minutes to give the Bobcats an early 2-0 lead. The Bobcats led 2-1 at halftime. All three goals between the two teams in the second half were scored in a four-minute window, with the final equalizer in the 78th minute.

Lua's goal in the ninth minute was his tenth of the season and the Le Grand, Calif., native is one of just seven players across the nation with at least ten goals in 2022. For his career, Lua's goal was his 44th, moving him ahead of Juan Flores for sole possession of third place on the program's all-time goals list. 

Lua's goal was assisted by Anthoni Martin, who took a touch to Lua to the middle of the field allowing Lua to take a few dribbles around a defender and get off a rocket from approximately 20 yards that was buried near post. Martin's assist was the third of the season to lead all defenders.

Fresquez's tally was the first of his career and he put the Bobcats ahead 2-0 in the 12th minute. The sophomore took a backheel through ball from Joshua Golka to the top of the goal box before beating the keeper with a ground ball shot. Golka was credited with his first assist of the season.

BenU Mesa cut the deficit in half in the 21st minute off a header directly from a set piece near the corner flag. The Redhawks goal was their lone shot of the half, getting outshot 14-1 over the first 45 minutes.

The Redhawks picked up their offense and created more scoring opportunities in the second half. The visitors managed to tie the game 2-2 in the 75th minute on a corner kick sequence.

Just over two minutes later, Capetillo was fouled right outside the 18-yard box and buried his free kick to put the Bobcats back on top 3-2. Capetillo's goal was his third of the season.

The third goal in the late flurry of scores was a BenU Mesa equalizer in the 78th minute via a successful penalty kick. The PK goal, due to a handball inside the box, was the game's final score resulting in a 3-3 draw.

Martin, Michael De La Cruz and Xavier Barajas all took a shot at a game-winning goal in the closing ten minutes.

Overall, UC Merced outshot BenU Mesa 25-7. The Bobcats 25 shots marked the second highest shot output of 2022.

Lua held match-high with a career-high eleven shots, tied with Cody Golbad for the second highest shot output in Bobcats history. Five of Lua's eleven were on goal. 

Four Bobcats recorded two shots each.

Head coach Albert Martins' team won the corner kick battle 6-2 in their second straight draw.

With the draw, UC Merced remains unbeaten in six all-time meetings against BenU Mesa.

Looking ahead, the Bobcats travel to Arizona to take on the Park University Gilbert Buccaneers for the first time in program history on Saturday, October 1. Kickoff is set for 1:30pm at Bell Bank Park in Mesa, Ariz.