BOX SCORE

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — The Dominican University of California women's soccer team got its first taste of PacWest competition in a 1-1 tie against Academy of Art University on Monday afternoon.

The game was rough from the get-go, with AAU's keeper, Solveig Barnes, drawing a yellow card in the second minute on a tackle as Dominican's Eleanna Mendez went for the score. The Lady Penguins failed to score and 14 minutes later AAU's Carmela Doerr found the net for the game's first goal.

Dominican's defense locked down despite an injury to captain Michelle Mason that forced her to leave the game, holding AAU scoreless in the remaining 94 minutes.

Freshman Mary Wheeler scored in the 33rd minute but that would be all the scoring, as neither team netted a goal in the next 77 minutes of play.

Offensively, Dominican was the stronger team,  placing 5 shots on goal to AAU's lone score.

Dominican.goalie Alicia Paulsen, the reigning PacWest Player of the Week, allowed one goal and did not record a save in 110 minutes of play.

"Obviously we'd like to have come away with a win," said Dominican Assistant Head Coach Phil Billecci-Gard, who took the reins for Head Coach Jonathan Delano, who was serving a one game suspension. "We fell behind early but rallied back and our defense made adjustments so there are some positives."

The Dominican women return to action on Saturday, Sept. 26 when PacWest opponent Dixie State College comes calling. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. with a men's game preceding at 1:00 p.m.