MONMOUTH, Ore. – The University of California, Merced women's soccer team earned a 1-1 draw against Central Washington on Saturday afternoon in a neutral-site match.
With the draw, the Bobcats (1-0-2) are one of just four unbeaten NCAA Division II teams in California through three matches.
Trinidad Quiroz scored her first goal of the season for the Bobcats in the eighth minute, delivering a strike from 20 yards out that blasted off the goalkeepers hands and into the back of the net. The strike marked her 42nd career goal.
Jackie Tamayo helped make the scoring opportunity possible by forcing a turnover in the Bobcats own attacking third. Quiroz received the ball outside of the box and took her defender one-on-one a few strides toward the box before firing the laser. Diana Rico had the Bobcats only other shot in the first half.
Central Washington tied the game in the 57th minute by converting a penalty kick as a result of a foul in the box near the endline.
The Bobcats had the better of play for the rest of the game, including threatening to score the game-winning goal on three occasions in the final ten minutes.
Tamayo had a shot at it on a set piece from 25 yards out but her attempt was snagged by the leaping keeper.
Shortly after, Quiroz was at the top of the goal area but the CWU defense collapsed on her before she could get the shot off. The Bobcats had a couple crosses broken up after that.
The Bobcats final opportunity came with a minute left. Tamayo played a good ball over the top of two defenders to Quiroz who had just the keeper to beat. However, her final game-winning attempt from nearly the same spot where she scored the goal earlier was caught on a line by the keeper.
Outside of the run that CWU earned the penalty kick on, the Wildcats didn't prove to be dangerous in the second half.
The match was physical throughout. Although there were no cards issued, the two teams combined for 29 fouls. UC Merced had 16 called against them.
UC Merced outshot Central Washington 8-5, 5-4 on frame. Quiroz held match-high with five shots, putting three on goal. She played 84 minutes.
Alicia Lepe was credited with three saves, including a leaping save midway through the first half. She also had to battle through various CWU set pieces in the first half.
Preeya Singh, Macy Max, and Lizzie Ledesma played the full 90 minutes with Lepe. Morgan O'Neal made her collegiate debut in the first half.
Looking ahead, UC Merced will return home to host Fresno Pacific on Tuesday, September 16 at 7:00pm.
