MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's soccer team shutout NCAA Division II foe Academy of Art 1-0 in the 2023 home opener at Bobcat Field on Saturday night behind strong defense and a goal from Trinidad Quiroz.

The Bobcats (3-1-0) have now won four straight home openers dating back to 2020 with three of the wins coming via the shutout.

Quiroz, who recorded 12 shots on the night with a career-high nine of them being on target, scored in the 32^nd minute. After receiving the ball just in front of the center line from Hannah DeLay, Quiroz took the ball all the way down into the corner of the box and towards the end line before using an angle to take a shot. Quiroz aimed far corner, but the shot deflected off an ART U defender and went in the back of the net near corner.

Quiroz's goal was her eighth of the year and the junior is tied for first in the nation with that total. She has scored at least one goal in all four games in 2023.

UC Merced outshot ART U 23-3 in the victory, 12-1 on target. Stephanie Medina, Kaeley Cariglio, and Yesenia Tijerina all recorded one shot on goal aside from Quiroz's nine.

Medina's shot on goal came in the tenth minute and ART U goalkeeper Kayla Hampton made a leaping save, with the ball then deflecting off the crossbar and over the goal for a UC Merced corner kick. The Bobcats earned four corner kicks throughout the night.

Just over five minutes later, Giulia Salemme hit the crossbar with a shot from the top of the box in an attempt for her first career goal.

The Bobcats continued to set the tempo in the second half and Quiroz nearly doubled the Bobcats lead on multiple occasions. Quiroz forced ART U goalkeeper Kayla Hampton into a few diving saves and then in the 67^th minute, was one-on-one with the keeper inside the goal area but Hampton also managed to stop that shot. Quiroz followed with a shot on the rebound but it went wide of the goal.

Hampton finished with eleven saves overall.

UC Merced goalkeeper Jadyn Gong faced just one shot all night, a line drive near the post that she saved in the 49^th minute which ultimately earned the Merced, Calif., native her second consecutive shutout.

Looking ahead, UC Merced travels to Riverside, Calif., to face La Sierra University in the California Pacific Conference opener on Thursday, September 7 at 4:30pm.