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Cal State Dominguez Hills Athletics

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Pedro Velasquez
2
Fresno Pacific FPU-MS (14-3-2)
3
Winner CSU Dominguez Hills CSDHMS (15-2-3)
Fresno Pacific FPU-MS
(14-3-2)
2
Final
3
CSU Dominguez Hills CSDHMS
(15-2-3)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Fresno Pacific FPU-MS 2 0 2
CSU Dominguez Hills CSDHMS 1 2 3

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Toros Rally in Second Half to Defeat Fresno Pacific in NCAA Championship Opener

SEATTLE -- After a first half struggle that saw it getting acclimated to the Pacific Northwest weather, Cal State Dominguez Hills came out of the locker room for the second half with a different look. And with that, it rewarded the Toros with two goals in the period to complete a 3-2 comeback victory over Fresno Pacific in the opening round of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship Thursday evening at Seattle Pacific's Interbay Stadium.

The third-seed Toros (15-2-3), who picked up their first win in NCAA postseason play since 2009, will have Friday off to prepare for host and second-seed Seattle Pacific Saturday at 7 p.m.

Here's head coach Joe Flanagan on today's tough win.


Pedro Velasquez highlighted the Toros with a two-goal night, scoring his first 1:05 into the contest and finding the go-ahead goal on a header set up by Gabriel Rivera in the 77th minute. Israel Murguia got the rally started with the tying goal in the 52nd minute.

Here's Velasquez on his and his team's efforts tonight.


The two California schools had to get used to a Seattle climate that featured on-and-off light rain. Despite the wet conditions, both teams reached double digits in shots, with CSUDH winning that category, 17-11.
 
The Toros jumped out of the gate with Velasquez's goal. From the left side, Ehi Isibor found the No. 9 jersey in the box and crossed it to him for the final touch.
 
Fresno Pacific, which was making its debut in an NCAA postseason after serving a four-year provisional period, responded to the goal well and took complete control of the first half with excellent passing to break any Toro momentum.
 
It took the Firebirds (14-3-2) until the 11th minute to find the tying goal when Eli Gallegos fired a loose ball from the top of the box to beat a diving Chase Gentry.
 
Although the Firebirds were in control of the period, they took the lead on a penalty kick in the 34th minute.
 
The momentum had shifted over to CSUDH at the start of the second half, as the Toros outshot the Firebirds, 17-11.
 
It was the Toros bench that got them back on the right track at the start of the second half. Rayane Bouarroudj and Matt Michell pushed the ball forward to find Murguia at the 12-yard mark, where his shot to the left angle beat keeper Andrew Luis for the tying goal.
 
Although Gentry didn't make a save on the night, the Toro defense did make one, and it proved to be key as a header in an open hole on the left side off a corner kick was cleared by a CSUDH defender to end the FPU threat.
 
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