2026 Cal WSOC Match Notes Week 3

After a tough road series against WCC opponents Pepperdine and San Diego, the California women's soccer team (0-2-2) returns to Edwards Stadium this Saturday for a home matchup against Loyola Marymount. 

The Lions have faced tough competition through the first two weeks of the season, with each of their last two matches decided by one goal. Saturday will mark the first meeting between Cal and LMU since 2015.

MATCH INFORMATION

Loyola Marymount

·       Date and Time: Saturday, August 29th at 3 p.m.

·       Location: Berkeley, CA – Edwards Stadium

·       Live Stream: ESPN+

·       Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
 

TOUGH WCC ROAD TEST
The Golden Bears dropped a pair of 1-0 road matches to WCC opponents Pepperdine and San Diego last week. Pepperdine scored in the 65th minute, while San Diego found the net in the 15th. Cal now returns home looking to bounce back against LMU.

EARLY SEASON IMPACT
Senior forward Soleil Dimry scored Cal's first goal of the 2026 season against Santa Clara, while transfer goalkeeper Alyssa Savig has made an immediate impact between the posts. Cal has seen early contributions on both ends of the field as it continues to build through the opening weeks of the 2026 campaign.

Senior defender Malia McMahon, sophomore defender/midfielder Annamarie Williams and redshirt junior goalkeeper Alyssa Savig are the only Bears to play all 90 minutes in each match this season. McMahon has remained a steady presence on the back line, while Williams, a transfer from Virginia, has started all four matches and made an immediate impact in her first season with the Bears. Savig, a transfer from Stanford, has also provided consistency in goal, totaling nine saves through four matches. The trio looks to continue building on its early-season impact as Cal moves forward in non-conference play.

YEAR 3
Cal enters its third year in the ACC and was picked to finish 10th in the 2026 Preseason ACC Women's Soccer Coaches Poll. The ACC remains among the top conferences in the sport, with nine ACC teams advancing to the second round of the NCAA Championship last year. Cal will look to build on last year's ACC campaign, which featured several strong results against conference opponents. 

2025 RECAP
Cal posted an overall record of 8-3-8 and a 4-2-4 mark in ACC play. The Bears finished eighth among 17 teams in the highly competitive ACC, narrowly missing a top-six finish and a spot in the conference tournament.

Cal earned a pair of ranked draws, battling No. 1 Virginia at home and No. 7 Florida State on the road to identical 2-2 results. Florida St. went on to win the national championship. Cal recorded eight draws, including several against elite competition, but ultimately finished just outside the field for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. 

Standout performers included forward Lumi Kostmayer, who emerged as the Bears' primary offensive threat and led the team across all major attacking categories. Kostmayer has since continued her career professionally in Denmark. Goalkeeper Teagan Wy anchored Cal defensively, helping the Bears navigate a number of tightly contested matches before being selected by Gotham FC.

NEW FACES, FAMILIAR CORE
Cal enters the 2026 season with a mix of experience and new talent, returning 17 members of its 2025 roster -  including six regular starters -  while welcoming a talented freshman class to Berkeley.

Leading the group of returners is senior forward Soleil Dimry, who led the team with three game-winners and ranked second with four goals. Dimry also scored an 88th-minute equalizer to earn a draw against No. 1 Virginia. 

The backline is headlined by a veteran group of Malia McMahon, Reese Doherty and Miriam Hils. McMahon held down the centerback position, logging the sixth-most minutes on the team, while adding a pair of goals. She scored a memorable header off a corner kick to seal the win against Santa Clara. Doherty was one of just four Bears to start in all 19 matches last season, contributing heavily on the defensive side while adding two assists. Hils proved to be a versatile contributor, playing virtually every position on the field. She appeared and started in 17 matches, and contributed two assists during the 2025 season. 

With an experienced core, returning across the field, the Bears will look to pair that familiarity with a talented group of newcomers as the 2026 season gets underway. 

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Cal was recognized on the 2025-26 College Team Academic Award Winners List after posting a 3.31 team GPA last season. 

STAY POSTED
For complete coverage of Cal women's soccer, follow the Bears on X (@CalWSoc), Instagram (@calwsoc) and Facebook (@Cal Women's Soccer).
 

-CalBears.com-