STOCKTON, Calif. – Xavier Cisneros continued his standout season and goalkeeper
Alejandro Caracheo Luna delivered a pivotal penalty-kick save as the Pacific men's soccer team earned its first West Coast Conference victory of the season, defeating Santa Clara, 2-1, on Saturday evening from Knoles Field.
After the Broncos ((3-6-2, 0-1-2 WCC) struck first in the 26th minute on a goal from Josmar Guandique, the Tigers (2-7-3, 1-0-1 WCC) responded quickly as Cisneros calmly stepped to the penalty kick spot and converted in the 28th minute to even the contest at 1-1. The goal was Cisneros' sixth of the season and his third in Pacific's first two conference matches.
Cisneros' six goals already place him among notable single-season scorers from Pacific's modern era. He is three goals shy of the modern-era single-season program record of nine, set most recently by Camden Riley in 2018.
Massimo Erfani provided to be the difference in the 40th minute. Erfani found the back of the net for his second goal of the season, putting Pacific ahead 2-1 and sending the Tigers into the break with their first halftime lead of conference play. Erfani last scored on a penalty kick during Pacific's other win in 2026 at Utah Tech.
The Broncos increased the pressure after intermission, but Pacific's back line and Caracheo Luna refused to surrender the advantage, especially late in the match with an awarded penalty kick to the visitors.
Caracheo Luna came through with the defining stop of the night, denying Alejandro Arenas from the spot to preserve Pacific's 2-1 advantage. The save was one of three for Caracheo Luna, who played all 90 minutes and allowed just one goal.
The Tigers remained composed through the closing minutes, limiting the Broncos to four shots on goal for the match and protecting the one-goal advantage through the final whistle. Pacific put seven of its eight attempts on target, while Cisneros and Erfani combined for six of the Tigers' eight shots on the night.
The monumental victory for head coach Andres Ochoa marked Pacific's first home West Coast Conference win since Nov. 16, 2024, when the Tigers defeated Saint Mary's, 3-1, on Senior Night and it was the first victory over Santa Clara since the 2018 campaign.
With a win and a draw through its opening two conference contests, Pacific remains unbeaten in WCC play and carries momentum into its next conference test at Saint Mary's on Saturday, Oct. 10 from Saint Mary's Stadium.
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