ANGWIN, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's soccer team scored a trio of early goals and outshot Pacific Union College 22-0 en route to a 3-0 shutout in the California Pacific Conference opener on Thursday afternoon.
With the win, the Bobcats (4-2-1) have now won nine consecutive California Pacific Conference openers and have earned a shutout in six of those games.
Yesenia Tijerina scored twice for UC Merced, while Yareli Hernandez tallied a goal and an assist. All three goals came within the first 21 minutes.
Tijerina's brace was her third of the season and the returning All-Cal Pac First Team selection has already exceeded her scoring output from a season ago.
She opened the scoring in the 9th minute from five yards out heading in a Hernandez cross. Her header at that point was already the Bobcats sixth shot of the match.
Hernandez scored just over ten minutes later lasering a shot from 25 yards out and beating the diving keeper near post to double the Bobcats lead. Hernandez's goal was her second in a three-game stretch. Her three-point match was the first in her UC Merced career.
Almost immediately after in the 21st minute, Tijerina extended the Bobcats lead to 3-0 finishing off a throw-in from Makena Jensen. Jensen's throw nearly made it to the goal area and Tijerina was able to tap the ball into the back of the net after a couple of touches from each team.
UC Merced put 12 of its 22 shots on goal overall. Head coach Roman DuChateau's team spread out its shots across each half, taking eleven in each stanza.
Kaeley Cariglio finished with four shots. Alexia Alva, Hernandez, Kassidy Spiva, and Tijerina recorded three shots each. All four Bobcats were on target at least once.
Alva put together two solid attempts. Elisa Garcia nearly scored in the 74th minute.
Defensively, along with holding PUC without a shot, UC Merced didn't allow a corner kick. UC Merced held PUC without a shot for the third consecutive regular-season matchup. Overall, the Bobcats have held an opponent without a shot 15 times in program history.
Alicia Lepe logged all 90 minutes between the posts for her third solo shutout of the season. Zitlali Herrera also logged 90 minutes. Giulia Salemme made her first career start.
UC Merced improved to 6-0-1 all-time against PUC.
Up next, UC Merced will host La Sierra University on Thursday, October 3. First touch from Bobcat Field in Merced, Calif., is scheduled for 4:30pm.
