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Seawolves Knock Toros Out of NCAA Playoffs With 4-2 Win in Penalty Kicks

CCAA Champion CSUDH ends season at 18-3-2

Box Score
Carson, CA -- In an atmosphere befitting a battle between two teams who have become each other's rival, top-seeded Cal State Dominguez Hills and 3rd-seeded Sonoma State staged an epic battle for the 2007 NCAA Far West Regional Title, where Seawolf keeper Brook Johnson came up huge with two penalty kick saves in leading SSU to the Far West Championship over the host Toros, ending CSUDH's season at 18-3-2.
   
Netting just one save in regulation and in overtimes, Johnson stoned CSUDH's first PK attempt with a dive to his right to deflect it off the post, and followed that effort by stopping the next Toro effort with a dive to his left, giving SSU a 2-0 edge after the first two Seawolves converted.  Once SSU took a 3-0 cushion, Kevin Gallaugher notched the Toros' first PK to put the Toros on the board, and after CSUDH keeper Derby Carrillo stopped the next SSU attempt, Andrew Marinez made it 3-2 with a PK of his own.  Need one to clinch the Far West Title, Mark Wiedeman stepped up and slid his attempt past Carrillo's right to set off the Seawolf celebration.
   
In regulation, the Seawolves struck at 11:46 as a SSU attacker lured Carrillo out of his box, allowing Mike Travis a good look at the goal.  After a Toro defender blocked Travis' attempt, however, the carom went directly to Middlemiss, who drove the ball into the net for a Seawolf 1-0 lead.
   
The Toros got their offense going in the 38th minute as Sammy Rivas sent a through ball to Mario Guerrero to the left of the SSU keeper, where Guerrero avoided a Seawolf defender and slid his shot by the diving Johnson far post for the equalizer, knotting the teams 1-1 entering the half.
   
Both defenses locked down after the break, although Toro Marinez nearly slipped through SSU's defense as he launched an 18-foot blast to right of the SSU net, hitting the crossbar flush before it skipped away untouched.
   
In the 70th minute, the Seawolves took their turn offensively as Brandon de la Cruz took a cross to the left of the Toro net, only to have Carrillo extend to make a diving save.  Just a minute later, an SSU corner found a charging Mark Wiedeman unmarked just two yards from the goal, but Carrillo deflected Wiedeman's header attempt off the crossbar, where it was cleared by the Toro defense, setting up overtime.
   
“I told Joe several times during the game what a great game it was, and it was a shame that somebody had to lose because those are two very evenly matched teams,” begins SSU head coach Marcuz Ziemer.  “Looking forward to the NCAA Quarterfinals, Ziemer continues, “We've been on the road here, we've been on the road a lot, so we'll play anywhere.  Bring 'em on.”
   
“It was a great game,” concurs CSUDH head coach Joe Flanagan.  “It was nothing but back and forth and it's a shame the game had to end on PKs.  I think both teams deserved better than that, but they got the job done.  I'm disappointed for the seniors, but we played well in a big game and that's a sign of a great team.  I thought we brought our good game today and at times deserved to win, as much as they did.  I'm completely proud of my guys.”
NCAA Far West All-Tournament Team:

GCU - Bosko Jovicevic
SU - John Fishbaugher
CSUDH - Derby Carrillo, Kevin Gallaugher, Mario Guerrero, Hiram Rangel
SSU - Steven Browne, Brook Johnson, Ross Middlemiss, Scott Preckwinkle, Mark Wiedeman

Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Brook Johnson (SSU)
Most Outstanding Offensive Player: Ross Middlemiss (SSU)
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