October 4, 2006

Box Score

Carson, CA -- Senior Jesse Graham (San Diego, CA/Pt. Loma HS) connected for his second game-winning goal in as many matches as No. 23-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills posted its second-consecutive shutout in a 1-0 win over visiting UC San Diego on Wednesday afternoon at Toro Stadium. With the win, CSUDH jumps ahead of the Tritons in the CCAA's south division with its 9-5, 5-5 CCAA mark, while UCSD falls to 6-5-2, 4-4-2 CCAA.

The Toros continued where they left off against Sonoma State last Sunday, tallying a 9-1 shot advantage in the opening frame. Graham made the Toros' aggressive attack pay off at 26:27 as he took a Kyle Holland (Redondo Beach, CA/DeAnza College) cross deep in Triton territory and tapped his shot by UCSD keeper Luis Salazar near post.

Both defenses would take center stage after the score, keeping both offenses at bay.

The only suspense remaining - whether Toro keeper Kyle Polak (Huntington Beach, CA/CS Fullerton) would record his CCAA Conference-leading seventh shutout of the season and, in turn, tie former CSUDH keeper Chris Wilson for the Toros' all-time career shutout mark - was decided with just 3 seconds left on the clock as the Toros were called for a dangerous play inside their box, awarding UCSD an indirect kick from 3 yards out.

CSUDH, however, formed a human wall just outside the goal, and Triton Mark Moreira's blast ricocheted off the wall and into the far corner, preserving the Toros' 1-0 win.

Polak made two saves in goal versus three by Salazar while CSUDH enjoyed three corners to the Triton's two in posting its eighth shutout of the year.

The Toros take to the road for CCAA contests at Cal State San Bernardino and at Cal Poly Pomona this weekend, before returning home on Friday, October 13, to host Cal State Bakersfield at 7:00 p.m.