Toros and Cougars Battle to 1-1 2OT Tie to Kick Off 2012

Box Score

CARSON -- Missed opportunities were prevalent in tonight's 1-1 double-overtime draw between visiting Azusa Pacific and host Cal State Dominguez Hills as two missed breakaways and a PK went for naught in tonight's season opener for both squads.

It was the newcomer connection of junior transfer Jio Santana and freshman Jose Vaca that opened the scoring in the 30th minute after Santana's through pass eluded the Cougar defense and found Vaca alone with APU keeper Joe Geletko, who proved no match for Vaca's rocket far post.

That's where the score remained until the 80th minute when Mr. Offense Oktay Bulut completed a pretty sequence that saw his one-timed header race past second-half keeper Trey Mitchell to knot the game at 1-1, and send it into overtime.

Each team had an opportunity to win in overtime as a Tim Harty sitter in the first overtime was blocked by a sliding Cougar defender, before an APU forward's header into an open net bounced over to keep the Toros in it.

APU had an even better chance to win the game with three ticks left in the first extra session after being awarded a penalty kick after an attacker was taken down from behind on a breakaway, but Mitchell guessed correctly on Bulut's attempt, and poked away the would-be golden goal.

The Toros conclude their non-conference schedule on Saturday as they take on Cal Baptist in Riverside at 5 pm.

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