BERKELEY – Evan Davila scored the game-winning goal for the second straight game and led a second-half onslaught as the California men's soccer team routed Dartmouth, 4-0, on Monday at Edwards Stadium.
 
"Anytime you get four goals and can keep a clean sheet you're going to be happy," Cal head coach Leonard Griffin said. "Hats off to our guys for battling with a tough, Ivy League team, and hopefully we can build on this for next weekend."
 
With the nonconference victory on Labor Day, the Golden Bears improved their record to 2-0-2, while the Big Green fell to 0-2-0.
 
The start of the game belied the goalscoring to come in the second half, with the teams battling to a 0-0 tie in the first half. The organized Dartmouth defense was a challenge to break down, though Cal outshot the Big Green, 7-2, through 45 minutes, with Davila (twice) and Fernando Lara (once) forcing saves out of goalkeeper Costi Christodoulou.
 
A more motivated group of Bears took the field in the second half.
 
"First half we came out a little slow, a little flat," Davila said. "We just came out a lot hungrier in the second half."
 
In the 48th minute, Davila sent a Cal free kick – which may have skimmed off the head of a Dartmouth defender – into the back of Dartmouth's goal to give Cal a 1-0 lead.
 
Cal striker Nonso Adimabua set up the next goal, blasting a shot that Christodoulou parried into Juan Martinez's path, and the senior midfielder scored from the corner of the 18-yard box to make the score 2-0.
 
A Dartmouth foul in the box led to the Bears' next goal, with Davila taking a 69th-minute penalty kick that Christodoulou got a hand on but couldn't keep out of his net. Thanks to the senior midfielder's third goal in two games - including the winning goal against FDU on Friday - Cal led 3-0.
 
In the 78th minute, for the third time in the game, a free kick produced a Cal goal. Martinez took the free kick from 35 yards out and found an onrushing Kevin Carmichael. The veteran defender lashed the ball past Christodoulou and inside the far post to cap the scoring for the day.
 
The Bears outshot the Big Green, 15-4, for the game. Neither Cal goalkeeper – starter Connor Lambe nor freshman Zack Andoh – had to make a save, while Christodoulou wound up with three saves.
 
Cal returns to the road to play its next two games – at California Baptist on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT and at San Francisco on Sunday at 7 p.m. PT.
 
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