Salazar's Hat Trick Leads Toros to 5-3 Win Over CS East Bay

Box Score

CARSON -- Senior Aaron Salazar notched his first career hat trick as a Toro, leading Cal State Dominguez Hills to an offensive 5-3 win over a game Cal State East Bay squad on Think Pink Day in Toro Stadium.

With the win, CSUDH moves to 8-2-2, 6-2-2 CCAA while CSUEB drops to 2-9-1, 2-7-1 CCAA.

The Toros started their offensive onslaught in the 22nd minute as Jio Santana connected inside the 6 yard box after taking a cross from Miguel Vazquez and sending it past Pioneer keeper Steven Morgan.

CSUDH doubled its lead 2:20 later as a Sebastian Cortez corner kick found Aaron Salazar, who sent his header over Morgan 4 yards out for a 2-nil advantage at 23:38.

The Toros added another goal three minutes later as Salazar again did the honors after a Santana feed found the reigning CCAA Newcomer of the Year for a one-touch past Morgan at 26:46.

That's where the score remained until the 55th minute when Steffen Sauer cut into the Toro lead, sending a left-footed rocket from 12 yards out past a leaping Markus Dickerson into the upper right V, who checked into the game for starter Trey Mitchell after intermission.

CSUEB made it a 3-2 game just three minutes later after Javier Martin controlled a rebounded shot from Trey James, and sent his blast past Dickerson at the 57:04 mark.

The Toros then took their turn to score six minutes later after a cross from Santana found Heriberto Ponce three feet in front of Morgan, where Ponce's header eluded the leaping keeper for a 4-2 edge.

The Pioneers, however, again made it a game three minutes later when Chris Lara cross found a streaking Arthur Ethel, who one-touched it past a back-pedaling Dickerson to cut the Toro lead to 4-3 at 64:10.

Salazar completed his day with a flurry, taking a loose ball, weaving around a pair of Pioneer defenders and beating Morgan for his third and final goal of the day.

The Toros will take to the road on Friday to face CCAA South Division leader UC San Diego, before returning home two days later for their final regular season home game of the season against cross-town rival Cal State L.A., with first kick set for 2 pm after CSUDH honors its 10 seniors in a pregame ceremony.

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