ROCKLIN, Calif. - Jessup Men's Soccer suffered a 3-1 setback at home on Saturday afternoon, falling to UC Merced at Warrior Field. The loss drops the Warriors to 1-3-1 overall on the season, while the visiting Bobcats remain unbeaten at 1-0-3.
UC Merced established early momentum in the opening 45 minutes, outshooting Jessup 8-4 and generating six corner kick opportunities. The Warriors defended resolutely for most of the period behind goalkeeper
Curtis Lynch, who tallied five first-half saves. However, the Bobcats broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute when substitute Jose Vazquez found the back of the net to give UC Merced a 1-0 lead heading into halftime. The visitors doubled their advantage early in the second half when Felipe Lopez scored in the 61st minute.
Jessup answered back in the 67th minute, cutting the deficit to 2-1 as
Alessandro Velazquez buried a strike off a setup from
Hector Huerta. Despite playing with a numerical advantage after UC Merced goalkeeper Abel Calvillo received a red card in the 78th minute, the Warriors were unable to draw level. The Bobcats put the match away in the 83rd minute when Erlin Gomez scored off an assist from Michael Villasenor.
Statistically, UC Merced held a 13-8 advantage in total shots and a 10-5 edge in shots on goal. Velazquez led the Warriors' attack with two shots on goal and Jessup's lone tally. Huerta registered two shots and the primary assist, while
Jordee Magana added two shots off the bench.
Brandon Acevedo and
Diego Bravo recorded one shot on goal apiece. In goal, Lynch played all 90 minutes and finished with six saves. For UC Merced, Vazquez, Lopez, and Gomez scored one goal each, while starting goalkeeper Calvillo recorded four saves before his ejection.
Jessup will look to bounce back when they return to action on Saturday, September 19, taking on Menlo College in a PacWest matchup at 1:00 PM at Warrior Field.
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About Jessup University Athletics Jessup University is a member of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division II and the PacWest Conference. For additional information regarding Jessup Athletics, visit www.jessupathletics.com; visit www.jessup.edu for more information on Jessup University. Follow Jessup Athletics on social media: Jessup University Athletics (Facebook) and @JessupAthletics (Instagram & X).
