Defense and persistence pay off in first home win for Monterey Bay F.C.

SEASIDE, Calif. (KION-TV) -- In a season that will have many firsts, Monterey Bay F.C. capped off its first home game with a win over the Las Vegas Lights.

And not just a win, a 1-0 shut out that saw Monterey Bay F.C. keep Vegas from gaining momentum throughout the game.

The team also showed how much of a threat they can be with the ball, creating a flurry of chances before Walmer Martinez scored in the second half.

"Walmer scores a hell of a goal to win the game for us," said Monterey Bay F.C. Coach Frank Yallop. "Not sure there's a better story for us to start our home stretch out than Walmer scoring."

It was poetic, in a sense. Walmer Martinez, the Santa Cruz native and CSUMB alum, fired a shot toward net that was so far out it was just about a miracle for it to go in given the other solid chances the team had.

Another piece of poetry from this game: Monterey Bay F.C. coming into Saturday night had the most goals scored against them across the entire USL Championship league.

Coach Yallop also pointed out the importance of the fanbase being there and supporting the team Saturday night. Not to mention how loud they were.

"Once we get settled in and this place really feels like home, teams aren't going to like coming here. I just feel it already," said Yallop.

The support also extends to family members of the players as Chase Boone's family made the trek from Oregon to see the team play its first home game in Seaside.

"The team has been riddled with injuries. I think everybody's healthy right now and this is going to be a great pivot point for the season," said Chase's father Andrew.

Monterey Bay F.C.'s next home game isn't too far off, either.

They'll host Rio Grande Valley on May 14. Game time scheduled for 7 p.m.