Atherton, CA:

Play of the Day: Carlos Ramirez sets up Alex Vukic perfectly for the tilt's first goal.

A stingy Oaks defense surrendered just four total shots this afternoon, and coupled with a remarkable performance by senior forward Alex Vukic, Menlo came through swimmingly in a 3-0 victory over Cal Maritime (3-7-1, 3-4-1) at Wunderlich Field.  The win keeps the Oaks perfect California Pacific Conference record intact, now sitting at 6-0, while bumping their overall mark to 10-3-3.    

Vukic set the tempo from the onset, finding the back of the net on two separate occasions before a third of the first half had even expired.  The Menlo Park native wasn't finished either, racking up an assist on a late second half Jan-Niklas Erasmy goal to extend the Oaks lead to 3-0, effectively putting the match out of reach.    

"We played well as a team today, we touched it around all afternoon," Vukic said on his squad's impressive showing.  "The second goal was one of the better goals we have scored this season.  We were able to work it through before we found Hugo [Conchas] which worked out well." 

The two Vukic scores give the dynamic forward six on the season, putting him in second place on the Oaks.  Conchas earned an assist on the second goal, while the first assist went to senior Carlos Ramirez on a beautiful ball that gulped up almost half the field.    

Defensively, Menlo stifled Cal Maritime for 90 minutes in allowing just two shots in each half, only one of which was on goal.  Aside from two free kicks inches outside of the box in the first stanza, it was hard pressed to find a legitimate Keelhaulers scoring attempt. 

"Today was one of the best defensive games we have played," commented the aforementioned Vukic at the conclusion of the match.  "We dropped Eric [Angell] in the back which helped us a lot and solidified our defense." 

Menlo senior keeper Alex Palomarez was forced to make just one save all afternoon, a Marshall Fice attempt in the first half.  Maritime used a pair of freshmen in Nathan Holly and Tyler Talan between the pipes, with the two combining to surrender three goals while making four stops. 

The Oaks racked up 18 total shots and dominated the corner kick battle, 12-0. 

Two matches stand between Menlo and their second straight undefeated conference campaign.  On tap first, a matchup at William Jessup this Wednesday, October 31^st.  Kickoff is slated for 3:00pm.