SEASIDE >> If the Jägermeister Cup has done anything for Monterey Bay FC, it’s provided a confidence boast for its return to United Soccer League Championship play.

For the first time since April 12, the Union produced multiple goals, using a pair for Ilijah Paul Saturday in a 3-2 win over Orange County at Cardinale Stadium.

Playing two matches in four days, the Union are 2-0 in their bracket in the Jagermeister Cup, with two more matches slated for June 28 against Oakland and July 26 at USL One AV Alta FC. The winners in each bracket will advance to the knockout round.

Monterey Bay FC will return to USL play next Saturday at Lexington SC, a team it played to a scoreless draw back on April 19, The tie started a streak of six straight matches without a win in USL play.

Despite the winless streak, the Union (4-4-4) still sit in fifth place in the Western Conference with 16 points, five behind conference leader New Mexico United.

Having managed just two goals in their past six USL matches, the Union got a pair from Paul in the 36th and 67th minutes of the match to take a 2-1 lead.

Paul, who has a team-leading four goals in USL play, along with two assists for the Union, scored on assists from Adam Larsson and Grant Robinson.

Larsson’s breakaway goal on an assist from Jacob Muir late in the match turned out to be the game-winning goal after Orange County put one into the net in extra time.

The two conference rivals are no strangers to each other, having faced off on March 22 in USL play, with the Union posting a 3-0 win.

On the heels of his first shutout between the pipes in a 1-0 win Wednesday over USL One’s Spokane, Sam Gomez recorded a handful of saves in goal.

The Union are now 5-2-1 overall this year at Cardinale Stadium, 3-1-1 in USL play. It will look to snap a five-game winless road streak at Lexington.

Orange County, which knocked off defending USL champion Colorado Springs last week, is now 0-2 in Jagermeister Cup play.

The Union and Orange County are 3-3-1 lifetime in USL play, with one more meeting slated later in the season.