MORAGA – Two of the newest California men's soccer players combined to score all three goals in the Golden Bears' 3-2 victory over Saint Mary's on Thursday in the season opener, with Cam Wilkerson netting the gamewinner and Luka Lukic collecting a brace. The Bears played the last 33 minutes of the game with a player advantage after a Gael was sent off with a red card.

With the nonconference result, Cal opened the season 1-0 while the Gaels opened 0-1.

Cal led at 1-0 and 2-1, but Saint Mary's tied the game each time, until Wilkerson's goal sealed the win.
 
"Saint Mary's is always a tough team to play especially at their place, and for us to get the lead back after allowing them to tie the game showed a lot of character in the first game of the season," Cal head coach Leonard Griffin said. "We're excited to come out of here with a win."
 
A corner kick set up the first goal by Lukic, who transferred to Cal from UC Riverside. In the sixth minute, Kieran Bracken Serra's corner found the forward deep in the six-yard box and Lukic scored his first goal as a Bear to give Cal a 1-0 lead that it eventually took into halftime.
 
In the 49th minute, a corner kick set up the Gaels' first goal, with TJ Dilley heading in a corner by Sam Danner to tie the game 1-1.
 
Saint Mary's defender Hubert Deragon picked up a second yellow card and subsequently a red card for a foul in the 66th minute, and Cal played the rest of the game 11 vs. 10.
 
A four-minute span late in the game produced the game's final three goals.
 
Lukic scored his second goal in the 79th minute, when Cal was awarded a penalty kick due to a handball in the penalty area. Lukic converted the PK, and Cal led 2-1.
 
About one minute later, Saint Mary's scored from its own penalty kick, with Bastian Toelhoej tying the match 2-2.
 
In the 82nd minute, Cal midfielder Adrian Jacobs crossed to the far post, where Wilkerson – a UCLA transfer – tapped the ball into the net for the eventual winner.
 
The Bears possessed the ball for much of the last eight minutes of the game and did not allow another shot by Saint Mary's.
 
Along with Wilkerson and Lukic, Cordova is another transfer – from fellow ACC school Virginia – who joined Cal in the offseason. Cordova came close to scoring twice in the first half, with a 12th-minute free kick slamming off of the Saint Mary's crossbar and a 20th-minute free kick forcing a save out of goalkeeper Sam Bentley.
 
"We knew we had some big shoes to fill from last year's team, and credit to my staff in Ricardo Gutierrez, Jake Wilson and Henry Foulk, who did a great job in the offseason," Griffin said. "Not only did they do their due diligence in finding guys who fit on the field, they made sure these guys fit right into the culture we've been building. We did a good job with the guys we brought in, and we're very happy to see their contributions and that of all the other new guys and returners as well."
 
Cal next plays at UCLA on Sunday.
 
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