Cal Earns Hard-Fought 3-3 Tie At Santa Clara

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Trailing 3-0 at halftime against host Santa Clara, the California men's soccer team got an inspired effort – and goals from Wyatt Meyer, Shoei Honda and Nate Carrasco – to tie a game that finished in a 3-3 tie in double overtime. Cal goalkeeper Collin Travasos, who started the second half, made five saves to blank the Broncos in the final 65 minutes at Stevens Stadium.
 
"It's the first time in my 22 years that we've ever come back from three goals down to get a result," Cal head coach Kevin Grimes said. "Only great players can do that. It's all the players who made this happen. Great stuff tonight."
 
The Golden Bears' record moved to 2-8-2 after the nonconference game. Santa Clara is now 7-1-3.
 
In the first half, Cal outshot the Broncos, 11-10, and had a 4-3 edge in corner kicks. But Santa Clara got goals from Dominic Vegaalban in the seventh and 14th minutes and a strike from Oladayo Thomas in the 22nd minute to take a 3-0 lead. Starting Cal goalkeeper Chris Gustini made four saves in the first 45 minutes, while the Broncos' Andreu Cases Mundet made three saves.
 
The Bears also outshot Santa Clara, 6-5, in the second half, with three shots scoring and three shots blocked by the Broncos.
 
Meyer scored at the 72:59 mark, heading in a cross by Evan Davila, to put Cal on the scoreboard.
 
At 75:02, Honda took a pass from Carrasco to score from close range, and Cal trailed 3-2.
 

Cal defender Christian Gomez lofted a cross into the Santa Clara box at 84:59, and Carrasco headed the ball past Cases Mundet to knot the game at 3-3. 
 
In the first overtime period, Cal's Ian Lonergan had a good look at Santa Clara's goal in the 99th minute, but his long-range, dipping shot missed high. In the second OT, Honda nodded a shot wide in the 102nd minute and fired wide again in the 108th minute, and the Bay Area rivals settled for the 3-3 tie.
 
Thanks to the three-goal outburst for the Bears, Carrasco collected his first points of the season with his assist and his goal, Davila posted his team-best fourth assist, and Meyer and Honda each scored his third goal to tie Jack Singer for the team lead.
 
Cal returns to Pac-12 Conference action when the Bears host UCLA on Oct. 21 at 12 p.m. and then San Diego State on Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. at Edwards Stadium. The Pac-12 Networks will broadcast both games.