LA VERNE (10-26) UC Santa Cruz started off their last So Cal trip of the season with a 1-0 victory against La Verne (9-8-1) on Saturday. 

The Banana Slugs (7-6-2) won their second-straight game. It's the most wins for a Slug squad since 2012.

From the first whistle to the last, the Slugs were unstoppable. At only 4:20 into the game, there was already an offensive opportunity, on a shot taken by Lucas Donoso. After the save by the goalie, giving La Verne no time to recover, Kailas Dhond pounced on the second chance for the goal with Donoso getting the assist.

It's was Dhond's fourth goal in 2019, giving him the team lead. UCSC played well on offense and defense in the first half, taking 6 shots, with 4 on goal, and not allowing La Verne to score. 

In the second half, the Banana Slugs continued to be a dominant force on offense, ending with a total of 13 shots, with 4 on goal for the game.With 2:08 left, the Leopards had a chance to score off of the corner kick, but the header was too wide. Goalkeeper Andrew Pimentel had 2 saves, due to the strong presence of the Slugs' defensive line throughout the game. The Leopards managed just three shots on the day.

The Slugs will take on Chapman Monday at 2pm. They face Dominican at home October 30th before flying to New Hampshire next weekend (November 2-3) for their first appearance in the ACAA Tournament.