Box Score

Santa Cruz, CA – Menlo Men's Soccer faced off against UC Santa Cruz on Wednesday afternoon, falling 0-1 in a hard-fought non-conference match at the Banana Slugs' home field. Despite their efforts, the Oaks were unable to find the back of the net against a fierce UCSC defense that held firm throughout the 90 minutes of play.

Oak Opportunities Unable to Find Back of Net

Menlo's offensive opportunities were limited, with junior center back David Stuber managing one shot on goal, while senior striker Mattia Celant added two more shots in attempts to break through. Unfortunately for the Oaks, none of these chances converted into goals, with UCSC's defense proving difficult to crack. Menlo worked profusely down both sidelines to build upon their attack but were quickly faced with Banana Slugs to shut down any momentum.

On the defensive side, Menlo's goalkeeper Alan Cruz-Gomez made two critical saves to keep the Oaks in the game. This was Cruz-Gomez's first appearance on the pitch this 2024 season and showed promising efforts in his distribution and action in the box. Both teams earned an equal number of corner kicks at four apiece, but UCSC capitalized on their opportunities, securing two goals to take the victory. The Banana Slugs totaled 6 shots on frame, but only executed one past the Oaks.

 

Up Next…

The loss drops Menlo's record in non-conference play, but the team remains focused as they head into their next PacWest matchup on Saturday, October 26th at 11am against Academy of Art. With sights set on rebounding and building on their performance, the Oaks are excited for another road match.