BERKELEY – The Cal women's soccer team kicked off the 2019 season in emphatic fashion, beating Weber State, 5-0, on Thursday afternoon at Goldman Field at Edwards Stadium. The Golden Bears (1-0-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12) showcased their well-balanced attack, with seven different players tallying a goal or assist in the win over the Wildcats (0-1-0, 0-0-0 Big Sky). Junior midfielder Luca Deza led the way with a brace, the first multi-goal game of her collegiate career. Emma Westin, Paige Metayer, and Denae Antoine  also scored for the Bears, while Daisy Cleverley, Abi Kim, Mia Corbin and Emily Smith picked up assists in the victory. 

Defensively, the Bears limited the Wildcats to just three shots as goalkeepers Angelina Anderson, Olivia Sekany, and Amanda Zodikoff combined for the shutout.

All 26 available players saw action for the Bears, with Anderson, Lily Arbabaraghi, Ally Brecher, Ella Collier, Natalie Hueston, and Jadyn Shinn making their collegiate debuts. Thursday's win also marked the first Cal game for redshirt sophomore Julia Curtis, who joined the Bears in the spring as a transfer.

Cal's five goals marked the Bears' highest-scoring game since 2015 and gave Cal a win in its season opener for the fourth year in a row.  Head coach Neil McGuire was impressed by Thursday's performance, which highlighted the team's cohesion and depth.

"I think this was an important first step for the team," said McGuire, now in his 13^th season as head coach of the Bears. "Scoring a lot of goals and getting a lot of players creating assists and scoring is always exciting, especially in the early part of season. Getting a shutout is great. It was very, very good for us to start this way and we'll learn a lot from this game. There are things we did really well and things we need to improve upon. We'll keep working hard on trying to improve in those key areas."

Cal controlled tempo from the outset of the match and after several promising chances early, got on the board in the 14^th minute with Deza's first goal of the game. Cleverley, who was on the New Zealand roster for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France, won the ball in the midfield off a failed Weber State clearance, and quickly found Deza at the corner of the box. The junior midfielder turned shot from 20 yards out, beating Wildcats goalkeeper Nikki Pittman to the near post.

The Bears doubled the lead less than four minutes later, when Kim charged onto a through ball by Cleverley, pulling the keeper out of position. Kim one-timed her pass into the area, finding an on-rushing Westin for the first-touch finish.

Three minutes later, Cal added another as centerback Smith drove up the pitch and played a ball into Corbin at the top of the box. The senior from Maple Valley, Washington flicked it through to Metayer, who calmly slotted it home from 12 yards out.

Cal continued to control play throughout the half and scored again in the 31^st minute, when the Bears were awarded a penalty kick after a handball in the box. Antoine, a redshirt sophomore who spent majority of the last two seasons sidelined with injury, stepped up to the spot and converted for her first collegiate goal.

Leading 4-0 at the break, Cal quickly added another in the early stages of the second half. Deza tallied her second goal of the afternoon on a brilliant strike from 25 yards out, already matching her goal total from 2018.

Cal outshot Weber State, 19-3, on the afternoon, and held a 6-1 advantage in corner kicks.

The Bears will now take to the road, heading down the California coast for a pair of matches next weekend. Cal kicks off its road trip at UC Santa Barbara, taking on the Gauchos on Friday, August 30. The Bears wrap up the weekend at San Diego State, kicking off against the Aztecs at 12 p.m. PT on Sunday, September 1.

For more information and updates throughout the season, follow the Bears on Twitter (@CalWSoc), Instagram (@CalWSoc), and Facebook (Facebook.com/CalWSoc).