Cougars Men's Soccer Fall to Merced 2-0 After First-Half Breakthrough
| 1H | 2H | T | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TAF | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MER | 1 | 1 | 2 |
TAFT, Calif. - Taft College fell 2-0 to Merced College on Friday, October 2, in Taft, with Jorge Medina’s unassisted goal in the 25th minute proving decisive. The Cougars trailed by one at halftime before Merced added a second goal early in the second half.
Medina supplied the only goal of the opening half, putting Taft in a 1-0 deficit that remained through the break. David Cortez extended Merced’s advantage in the 50th minute, scoring off an assist from Oscar Bolanos. That goal completed the scoring, leaving the Cougars facing a two-goal deficit for the final 40 minutes.
Taft’s efforts to get on the scoreboard were turned away by Merced goalkeeper Carlos Hinojosa, who was credited with four saves over 90 minutes. The Cougars finished without a goal in either half, while Hinojosa earned the shutout and the win.
Ara Ounjian started in goal for Taft and logged 30 minutes, while Aslan Chong played 60 minutes. The Cougars allowed one goal in each half, with the second coming five minutes after halftime. Neither Taft goalkeeper was credited with a save.
Bryce Kemp and Maximus Paredes each received a yellow card for the Cougars. Merced drew three cautions: Sebastian Carbajal in the 43rd minute, Medina in the 70th and Manuel Christopher Guerrero in the 80th. The Cougars will look to bounce back in their next contest at home on Tuesday, October 6, against Oxnard.
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