MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced men's soccer team scored five goals in the second half and earned their third straight shutout with a 5-0 victory over Cal Maritime on Sunday night at Bobcat Field.
The Bobcats (8-1-3, 6-1-1) shutout streak is their longest of the season and it was Brycen Miller and Angel Joaquin combing for the clean sheet on the home pitch. Albert Martins' squad has now put together a three-match shutout streak in ten consecutive campaigns overall.
Offensively, the Bobcats had five different goal scorers for the second time this season.
Diego Fresquez and Ashton Escamilla led the Bobcats with a goal and an assist each for their first career three-point game. Jesus Enriquez, Thomas Knierieme, and Juan Montelongo also found the back of the net.
Enriquez accounted for the game-winning goal in the 50th minute, following an Xavier Barajas shot and tapping it across the goal line. Prior to the goal, the two teams played through a scoreless first half. Enriquez's goal was his fourth of the year, while Barajas extended his point scoring streak to a career-best three straight games.
Knierieme scored a goal off a rebound in the 65th minute to double the Bobcats advantage. This time it was Saul Gonzalez firing away at the goalkeeper that ultimately put Knierieme in position to score. Knierieme remains stellar at home with a goal in all five home matches.
A series of passes extended the Bobcats lead to 3-0 in the 74th minute. Cristian Gaona moved the ball up the field and connected with a couple other Bobcats down the sideline before receiving the ball back at the top of the goal area. Gaona played it to an unmarked Fresquez near the penalty marker and the Los Angeles, Calif., native buried the one-timer. Escamilla and Gaona were both credited with an assist on the score.
Escamilla scored a goal of his own in the 81st, playing give and go with Fresquez and then getting behind the Keelhauler defense and beating the goalkeeper one-on-one.
Montelongo recorded his first goal in a UC Merced uniform just three minutes later, lasering a shot from 20 yards out far post.
UC Merced outshot Cal Maritime 34-2 on the night and put 15 of the shots on goal. The 34 shots marked a season-high.
The Bobcats also won the corner kick battle 8-0, earning their second most corner kicks of 2023.
UC Merced nearly got on the board twice in the first half, however a Daniel Borges shot hit the post and Roberto Ceja had a goal called back due to an offsides call. Ceja held match-high with five shots, two on frame. Knierieme and Luis Villegas also had two shots on target.
Miller made the only save he was tasked with for the Bobcats, a diving save in the 70th minute to preserve the shutout. With the save, the Bobcats have earned 12 consecutive shutouts against Cal Maritime dating back to 2014.
Up next, the Bobcats will travel south to face Soka University of America on Sunday, October 15. First touch from Aliso Viejo, Calif., is scheduled for 1:00pm.
