SEASIDE –
Nia Thompson's first two goals and assist of the season couldn't have come at a better time as the Cal State Dominguez Hills women's soccer team had to score three times to beat Cal State Monterey Bay 3-2 at the Otter Sports Complex Saturday night.
The win also gave head coach
Marine Cano his 250
th win as a coach in the NCAA, combining 'Mr. Soccer's' 13 years at the helm of the Toros in two stints and a dozen seasons leading UC Irvine's program.
The match served as a de facto California Collegiate Athletic Association season opener. However this battle was kept off the conference standings as were other matchups throughout the league today. The Toros (3-3-0, 0-0-0 CCAA) and Otters (3-1-2, 0-0-0 CCAA) will go on the record in the regular-season finale in November at Toro Stadium.
After a costly mistake in the 75
th minute gave Monterey Bay a 2-1 lead,
Haley McDevitt launched a free kick from Dominguez Hills' territory and into Monterey Bay's where Thompson received the loose ball and battled with two Otter defenders before chipping a shot over goalkeeper Maleni Morales and into the upper left corner of the goal to tie the match.
Thompson wasn't done. Three minutes later she nearly replicated her first goal by beating an Otter defender on the fastbreak and chipping a shot over a charging Morales at the top of the box to give the Toros the 3-2 lead.
Thompson's assist came in the 28
th minute. She made a perfect pass to a
Patricia Rubio-Martinez charging into the goal box for a one-touch left footer into the goal to tie the match at 1-1, which would stay that way the rest of the first half.
The Otters won the shot column 7-5. Toro keeper
Ashley Correia had to make three saves throughout the night.
Dominguez Hills' road trip continues as it officially opens conference play at Cal State East Bay Friday. Kickoff in Hayward is at 7 p.m.
