SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The University of California, Merced men's soccer team (0-0-2) played Westminster to a 1-1 draw on Thursday night to begin a two-game Utah-Colorado road trip.
Christian Khanishian gave the Bobcats a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute, finishing off a pass from Davian Lizarraga in the goal area for his first points of the campaign. Ezekiel Cruz was also credited with an assist, his first as a Bobcat.
Lizarraga and Danny Gaona first initiated the scoring chance finishing off a successful press to recover possession in the attacking third, and then Cruz and Lizarraga connected passes into the middle for Khanishian. Khanishian's goal was the sixth of his career.
Westminster netted the equalizer on a free kick from 25 yards out in the 70th minute.
Opportunities were hard to come by throughout the match and the shot count finished tied 4-4, 3-3 on goal. UC Merced won the corner kick battle 7-1 and applied pressure late with three corner kicks in the final 15 minutes.
Khanishian recorded three of the Bobcats four shots. Carlos Miranda was responsible for the other, a shot on target from ten yards out in the closing minutes of the first half.
Abel Calvillo made his second straight start in goal for the Bobcats and was credited with two saves, including a diving stop late in the first half. The Bobcats defense blocked a couple shots in the box down the stretch to keep the game intact.
Juan Lara and Braxton Fleming played the full 90 on the back line.
Cruz made his first start for UC Merced.
With the draw, the Bobcats (0-0-2) are unbeaten through the first two games of the season for the third time in the last four years.
Up next, UC Merced will play at Colorado Mesa on Saturday, September 5 at 12:00pm PST in Grand Junction, Colo.
