MERCED, Calif. – Yareli Hernandez led the University of California, Merced women's soccer team with a brace and an assist in a 4-0 win over La Sierra University in the 2024 home opener on Thursday night at Bobcat Field.
The Bobcats (5-2-1, 2-0) victory has them 2-0 to start Cal Pac play for the second straight season and fourth time in the last five years.
Hernandez opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a goal from 30 yards away. In the center of the attacking third, Hernandez launched and beat the leaping keeper hitting the crossbar and seeing her shot come down and cross the goal line. Katy Flores earned her second assist of the year on the eventual game-winning goal.
After a few more attacking chances, Hernandez doubled the Bobcats lead in the 31st minute blasting a shot into the back of the net from inside the goal area. Her brace was the first of her UC Merced career and the senior is up to four goals now in 2024. Preeya Singh helped set the goal up crossing it into the box from the right sideline, and then Elisa Garcia got a head on it amidst a flurry of players from each team which allowed Hernandez to finish the scoring sequence and give the helping duo their first assists of the season.
Shortly after in the 37th minute, Ana Centeno picked the far upper 90 on a free kick from 25 yards away to extend the Bobcats lead to 3-0. Centeno's impressive goal was her first of the campaign.
The Bobcats fourth and final goal came off the foot of Yesenia Tijerina. She took a vertical pass from Hernandez in the 53rd minute and then took one touch pulling the keeper off her line before slotting a ground ball shot from the corner of the 18-yard box into the back of the net. Tijerina's goal was her ninth of the year and third in Cal Pac play.
Alicia Lepe earned the starting nod between the posts for UC Merced and made both saves she was tasked with to record her fourth solo shutout. Her shutout also brings her goals against average down to 0.60 and she is just the fifth goalkeeper in program history with four or more shutouts in a single season.
Center back Macy Max helped anchor the defense playing a team-high 80 minutes in the field as the Bobcats held the Golden Eagles to just three shots.
UC Merced outshot the opponent 19-3 overall, 11-2 on goal. Hernandez and Kaeley Cariglio recorded three shots apiece. The Bobcats also won the corner kick battle 8-1.
Overall, 23 players saw action for head coach Roman DuChateau. Kyla Dolorfino and Aaliyah Hernandez made their season debut.
UC Merced improved to 8-1 all-time vs. La Sierra with the win, including 6-0 at home.
Looking ahead, UC Merced will host Providence Christian College for Senior Night on Saturday, October 4. The Senior Night ceremony will take place prior to the 4:30pm first touch on Bobcat Field in Merced, Calif.
