MERCED, Calif. – Erlin Gomez scored an 87th-minute game-winning goal to lead the University of California, Merced men's soccer team to its first Top 10 win in program history, 1-0 over No. 6 Cal State San Bernardino Sunday afternoon on Bobcat Field.
Previously, the Bobcats (4-3-3, 3-3) highest-ranked victory in the NCAA Division II era came against No. 22 Western Oregon in the 2025 season-opener. All-time, the Bobcats highest-ranked win before Sunday was a 1-0 win at 13th-ranked Southern Oregon on September 1, 2019. With the win, the Bobcats (4-3-3, 3-3) are back to .500 in CCAA play and are back over .500 overall. Also of note, UC Merced handed CSUSB its first loss of the season. The Coyotes entered the day as one of the final 12 unbeaten teams in the country at 8-0-2.
Gomez scored the winner from the right side of the goal area, tapping an Omar Garcia delivery across the goal line for his team-leading fourth goal of the year. After Gomez's shot, play initially continued as the goalkeeper got his hands on it. Action resumed for the next 16 seconds while head coach Albert Martins had already signaled for a challenge. Martins challenged the no-goal call, but after video review it was determined that the ball had crossed the goal line before the CSUSB keeper could make a save.
Gomez was also in on the initial build-up to the goal. Before scoring, he sent a cross that nearly connected with a Jose Ontiveros bicycle kick at the top of the goal area. Instead, the ball was tapped out to Garcia in the corner of the box for a delivery of his own and Gomez was on the receiving end for the score.
UC Merced won the game while playing a man up for 80 minutes and two men up for 30 minutes. CSUSB's Damian Gonzalez received the first red card for denying Gomez a goal-scoring opportunity in the 10th minute, pulling Gomez's jersey and dragging him down from behind while the goalkeeper was trying to get back in the net. The Yotes goalkeeper Donovan Palomares was then shown a red in the 60th minute for a serious foul play with a high kick to Ontiveros 40 yards off his line.
Despite playing short-handed, CSUSB's defense stood strong until the end. UC Merced finished the game outshooting the Yotes 10-6, 3-2 on goal. Gomez led the Bobcats with three shots.
Opportunities were extremely hard to come by in the first half with just three shots being taken. Gomez took a shot on a free kick and then Matthew Aldana had one in the run of play from the left side of the box. CSUSB's lone shot in the first half was from 20 yards out and missed left.
Six of UC Merced's ten shots came in the final ten minutes.
Garcia nearly put the Bobcats on the board in 81st minute with a laser from 25 yards out, but his shot was saved up and over the crossbar by the keeper. Eduardo Zamudio had a shot blocked following a corner kick.
Matthew Aldana and Ontiveros both missed a shot high in the moments before Gomez's game-winning goal.
Angel Joaquin earned the Bobcats first shutout of the season and made two saves, including his first save two minutes into the second half on a CSUSB header attempt off a set piece. He made his second save shortly after the Bobcats goal directly off a CSUSB free kick. Joaquin's shutout was the fifth of his career.
Center backs Juan Lara and Braxton Fleming played the full 90 minutes with Joaquin, Lara for the eighth time this year.
Nacio Gutierrez earned his first start of the season.
Enrique Murillo made his 2026 debut and had a shot on goal.
Up next, UC Merced will host Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday, October 9. First touch from Bobcat Field in Merced, Calif., is scheduled for 5:00pm.
