POMONA, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's soccer team battled the 3x defending CCAA regular-season champion and second-ranked Cal Poly Pomona Broncos to a scoreless draw on Friday night at Kellogg Stadium, 0-0.
With the result, the Bobcats (5-0-2, 2-0-1) are unbeaten through seven matches for the first time since 2020 and the second time in program history.
Alicia Lepe was stellar in the shutout with a career-high eleven saves, the most by any Bobcat since Veronica Vazquez on October 15, 2021.
Also of note, Lepe is the first Bobcat with at least eleven saves in a shutout since Ally Lozano on November 2, 2019 and the first CCAA player with 11+ saves in a shutout since October 29, 2021 (Allison Marcure/CSUSM).
Lepe, the program's all-time shutouts leader with 24 in her career, also eclipsed the 100 career saves mark in the match. The junior currently shares the CCAA lead with five shutouts in 2026 with Cal Poly Pomona's goalkeeper Parker LaMont.
The Modesto, Calif., native was forced into making eight saves in the first half and three in the first 13 minutes in the second half. UC Merced allowed just one CPP shot the rest of the way.
UC Merced's offense managed seven shots and were outshot 16-7, including 12-5 on target.
Jocelin Roa came close to putting the Bobcats up 1-0 in the 76th minute when she lasered a shot from the corner of the box that forced the keeper to make a leaping save near post and off the crossbar. Referees reviewed the play to see if the ball had crossed the goal line, but the call stood as no goal.
In the closing seconds, Andrea Alvarenga Torres took a shot off a free kick from 35 yards out but the final game-winning attempt missed high.
Late in the first half, Zamaya Rivera took a shot in the box that forced the keeper into a diving save and earned the Bobcats a corner kick. CPP won the corner kick battle 4-2.
Sarai Fresquez, Jacqueline Tamayo, Lexi Wright, and Gabby Gonzales made up the rest of the Bobcats shots on goal.
Fresquez, Alvarenga Torres, and Tamayo played the full 90 minutes for the fourth time in the last five matches.
Lizzie Ledesma and Wright went all 90 minutes for the fifth straight contest.
UC Merced is just the fourth CCAA team to post a clean sheet against the Broncos since the start of the 2024 season.
Looking ahead, UC Merced will play at No. 14 Cal State LA on Sunday, September 27. First touch from University Stadium in Los Angeles is set for 2:00pm.
