Box Score SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Though it outshot its opponent 20-8 to come from behind twice, the Dominican University of California women's soccer team couldn't get over the proverbial hump, losing 3-2 to visiting University of Hawai'i-Hilo on Wednesday at Forest Meadows Field.

Kristine Pasek scored the game-winner for the Vulcans (4-8-2/2-6-2) with 12:12 to go in the contest to beat the Lady Penguins (3-12-1/1-8-1) in the Pacific West Conference clash.

“We are just not able to close out a game,” said Dominican Director of Soccer Jon Delano. “I thought we had the better of the play and I thought we had more opportunities but the game is judged by how many goals you score.”

Julianna Bratsberg and Kaitlynn Baptista tallied game-tying goals for the Lady Penguins on assists by Emily Whitaker and Jillian Nunes but Dominican could never catch up and pass the Vulcans.

The final 1:17 of the game was frustrating and emotional for the Lady Penguins. Hilo goalkeeper Alysia Barone received a yellow card for delay of game then, 28 seconds later, Whitaker, after being a great pass from the back by defender Carrie Freyer, was given a red card arguing that she was fouled in the face in the 18-yard box with potentially a chance to score to the tying goal. The Dominican bench was assessed a red card in the ensuing argument.

After a 1-1 tie in the first half, the Vulcans regained the lead seven minutes into the second half. Chelsea Gomez played a beautiful long ball from the back that resulted in a race between teammate Lindsey Poulsen and Dominican goalkeeper Megan Herring as to who could get it first. Poulsen won the battle, dribbled around Herring and shot into the empty net.

Five minutes later, the Penguins had a golden chance to tie it. Whitaker's crossing pass found Bratsberg in the box. Her shot hit the crossbar and bounced down to teammate Baptista but her shot off the rebound was stopped by Barone.

Bratsberg didn't miss the next time she touched the ball in the box, however. She directed another excellent crossing pass by Whitaker into the goal past Barone to tie the game 2-2 with 22:21 to go. It was Bratsberg's first goal since the first game of the season.

Dominican threatened to take the lead about four minutes later. A Katie Brown side throw-in wound up on the foot of Lexi Humphry who had a one-touch pass to Bratsberg who headed the ball over the net with Barone out of position.

“This was probably G's [Bratsberg's] best performance I've seen this season,” said Delano.

In the first half, the Lady Penguins rallied from a stunning Vulcans' goal by Poulsen barely more than a minute into the game.

“I thought we showed up a little flat in the first 10 minutes and they made us pay with sort of a fluky goal but credit to them,” said Delano. “Otherwise, I thought we were better throughout the game but we didn't score enough goals.”

Dominican tied it 1-1 when Nunes crossed into the 18-yard box to Baptista, who beat Barone one-on-one. It  was Baptista's second goal of the season and it came midway through the first 45 minutes.

Pasek nearly put the Vulcans back in front but hit the post with a shot and Dominican had a couple of more scoring opportunities in the first half off corner kicks by Brown, senior co-captain.

Led by the team's other senior co-captain Shayna Elkins, Tori Selesia, and freshman Kendra Corsberg, the Penguins outshot the Vulcans 11-3 in the first half.

The Lady Penguins return to PacWest action on Friday morning when they play rival Academy of Art at Boxer Stadium in San Francisco. Game time is 11:00 a.m.