DALTON, Ga. – Luis Villegas and Roberto Ceja recorded a brace to lead the University of California, Merced men's soccer team to a 5-1 win over WVU Tech in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round on Thursday night at Dalton Stadium.
The Bobcats (13-3-3) national tournament win is their second in program history, their first since 2019. UC Merced will now play second-ranked Dalton State College on Saturday, November 18 with the winner advancing to the NAIA National Championship Final Site.
The Bobcats five goals are the most by any Cal Pac team in national tournament history.
Head coach Albert Martins' team led 2-0 at intermission and 4-0 inside of ten minutes en route of WVU Tech.
Villegas, no stranger to stellar postseason performances, scored his two goals within seven minutes of each other midway through the first half. The Sanger, Calif., became the first Bobcat with a brace in UC Merced's nine national tournament games. Also of note, Villegas' two goals were his first two of the season. Ceja would join Villegas with a brace in the second half. Xavier Barajas also scored a goal for the Bobcats.
Villegas struck first in the 23rd minute from the corner of the box off an assist from Ceja. Villegas placed his ground ball shot into the far corner of the net.
Shortly after, the Bobcats earned two free kicks in the attacking third and capitalized on the second one. Kevin Capetillo took the free kick from approximately 30 yards out and served the ball into the far corner of the goal area.
Capetillo's ball bounced off a player from each team before ending up at the top of the goal area where Villegas was right there to blast another shot into the net to put his team up 2-0.
All in all, Villegas recorded the Bobcats first three shots of the game. Joey Alvarez was responsible for the Bobcats next shot coming in the 40th minute and Jesus Enriquez took a shot just before intermission. Despite the 2-0 lead, the Bobcats were outshot 10-5 in the first half. Dalton State had five shots in the opening 15 minutes but the Bobcats defense didn't break.
Both teams continued to apply pressure in the second half eventually leading to four combined goals in the final 12 minutes of action.
Ceja, the Merced, Calif., native, extended the Bobcats lead to 3-0 in the 78th minute converting a penalty kick after being fouled near the goal line. He was fouled while attempting to score off a rebound from a Daniel Borges shot.
Ninety seconds later, the Bobcats were able to score off a rebound without getting fouled and it was Barajas to find the back of the net to extend the Bobcats lead to 4-0. Barajas was positioned at the penalty marker when a Ceja shot rocketed off the post and went right to Barajas for the one-timer.
WVU Tech scored off a free kick in the 88th minute before Diego Fresquez connected with Ceja down the field, who got behind the Golden Bears defense and beat the keeper one-on-one to record his brace and complete the 5-1 result.
Ceja's two goals brings him to six goals on the year, while Barajas has now found the back of the net five times.
UC Merced finished with 18 total shots on the night, putting ten of them on target. Ceja and Borges each recorded three shots on goal.
WVU recorded 21 shots, only three on goal. UC Merced goalkeeper Brycen Miller was credited with two saves.
UC Merced's NAIA National Championship Second Round matchup against Dalton State College is scheduled for 4:00pm PST at Dalton Stadium in Dalton, Ga.
