The Merced Bears hosted the Ceres Bulldogs in a preseason matchup as both teams looked to continue building their strengths before league games begin. With each side working to sharpen their offense and tighten their defense, the game offered a chance for players to adjust, apply what they’ve practiced, and respond to the high-pressure energy on the field. Both teams came in focused on improvement, setting the stage for a competitive afternoon.
The Merced Bears started the game strong in the first half, showing good teamwork and ball movement. Senior striker Raymond Gonzalez was a key contributor early on, scoring two goals that gave Merced the momentum they needed. His quick plays and smart positioning made it difficult for the Ceres defense to keep up. Midfielder Bryan Cortez added to the pressure with another goal, helping the Bears take a comfortable lead. The team’s passing and player movement created several scoring opportunities, keeping the Bulldogs on the defensive for the majority of the half. Merced’s defense also held strong, not giving Ceres many chances to get close to the goal. By halftime, the Bears had built a 3-0 lead, signaling the potential for a big win if they could close things out in the second half.
At the beginning of the second half, Ceres’ #10, Leo Baez, opened the scoring with a well-placed goal, giving the Bulldogs their first points of the game. Merced’s defense began to slow down as Ceres kept applying pressure and pushing closer to the goal line. Shortly after his initial goal, Baez was given a penalty kick, which he made. Moments later, Merced’s goalkeeper Johan Montes got injured making a block and had to be subbed out and replaced by senior Haziel Reyes, throwing the Bears off their regular pace. The Bulldogs were able to seize the opportunity against Merced’s defense and tied the game late in the second half at 3-3. The game concluded in a 3-3 tie, reflecting the back-and-forth battle between the two teams in both halves.
Ceres senior captain Leo Baez reflected on the team’s approach during the game and what they hope to improve moving forward. “Our mindset was to try to finish the preseason strong,” he said. “Even though we didn’t get the results we wanted last week, we wanted to pick it up this week.” When asked about areas to work on, Baez added, “If I had to say, one thing we can change is fixing our mistakes we had in the back.”
Merced midfielder Jesus Gutierrez reflected on the game, saying, “In the very beginning, we were pressing hard […] we really kept that pressure going through the entire first half, which gave us the head start of 3-0.” However, he noted, “In the second half […] we kind of laid back a little bit, and I feel like that really killed us.” When asked about the impact of their goalkeeper’s injury, Gutierrez said, “Honestly, I feel like our keeper getting injured did affect us a lot.” Still, he was clear about the team’s mindset: “We could have done better as a team […], this tie, it shouldn’t have ended like this, but we gotta learn from it.”
With the game ending in a 3-3 tie, both teams showed moments of strong play but also areas to improve as the preseason continues. Merced will now prepare to face the Pleasant Valley Vikings, while Ceres gets ready to take on the Livingston Wolves.
- Photos by Grace Gallegos. ↩︎
