SANTA CRUZ, Ca. – The UC Santa Cruz men's soccer team started its 2025 campaign in dominant fashion, earning a 3-0 shutout victory over Willamette University in their season opener Saturday afternoon. The Banana Slugs had three different goal scorers on the day with Michael Braun scoring in the 12 minute before Kotetsu Horike and Soren Groessl added insurance in the second half. UC Santa Cruz will be back in action on Monday at 10:30 a.m. when they host the Pacific Boxers.

How It Happened
The Banana Slugs wasted little time finding the back of the net on opening day. In the 12th minute, Michael Braun opened the scoring with a strike off his left foot at the top of the box, putting UC Santa Cruz up 1-0. The Slugs kept pressing as Torin Volkamer forced a pair of saves from the Bearcats' goalkeeper, while Oliver Gill and Jackson Chandler also tested the defense with early chances.

Goalkeeper Tobias Jacobson-Bell kept the match under control in the back, denying Willamette's first dangerous opportunity in the 38th minute to preserve the one-goal lead at halftime.

UC Santa Cruz doubled its advantage in the 57th minute with Zander Crawford finding Kotetsu Horike in a crowded box, who calmly finished for the Slugs' second goal.
The Banana Slugs sealed the victory in the 83rd minute as Axel Nyman delivered an assist to  Soren Groessl who capitalized on his chance to make it 3-0.

From start to finish, the Banana Slugs back line, anchored by Lawyer Mamaril, Gavin Lane, and Avery Edgar, kept the Bearcats quiet in the attacking third. Jacobson-Bell finished with two saves, including a key stop on a Willamette shot in the 60th minute.