Box Score SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Freshman Kolby Mitnick netted an incredible unassisted goal but Hawai'i Pacific University senior Chance Bukoski scored twice, enough to hand the Dominican University of California men's soccer team a bittersweet 2-1 Pacific West Conference loss at Forest Meadows Field on Sunday. It ended in the final 30 seconds after Dominican sophomore David Mendez was called offside after scoring an apparent game-tying goal.

The frantic, physical game featured 32 shots on goal and 26 fouls and produced the best effort of the season by the Penguins (0-4-0/0-1-0).
“I think collectively as a group that was probably our strongest performance from top to bottom,” said Dominican Director of Soccer Jonathan Delano. “HPU is very good and very dangerous. We neutralized a couple of their players out there that we wanted to. Obviously Chance is fantastic, he's arguably the best player in the conference. We did a pretty good on him but you look up at the end of the day and he still has two goals.”

The highlight for the Penguins was Mitnick's goal late in the first half that gave Dominican a 1-0 lead. He controlled the ball near the left sideline on the far side of the Dominican bench, spun and dribbled right, zig-zagging through at least a half dozen HPU players. He then turned and squared against the goal. It was as unassisted as an unassisted goal could be.

“I think he beat everyone once and then tried to beat everyone again,” said Delano.

“I don't even know what to say,” said Mitnick. “I was trying to find a shot and it just kept opening up.”

That goal, with 4:11 remaining, capped a wild first half of play with both teams producing golden scoring opportunities. The two teams combined for 19 shots and 12 fouls. HPU (5-1-0/2-0-0) had 12 shots on goals and at least five of them were kicked wide or over the net.
Dominican had almost as many shots (seven) and scoring chances. Mendez brought inspiring play and combined with freshman Nuri Bon-Acosta on a give-and-goal play but HPU keeper Mael Lefebvre came up with a sprawling save to deny Mendez. About a minute later, Mendez was knocked to the ground yet still managed to kick the ball out to Fabian Valdez who launched a hard shot wide left. Then Manny Sandoval-Gutierrezl set up Mendez for a shot that went wide right.

Mendez maintained the Penguins' pace, getting off yet another shot in the opening seconds of the second half. But then HPU finally got the equalizer. Demetri Beauchamp set up Bukoski, who tied the game with 38:15 to go. Bukoski, who was second in the PacWest last season with 13 goals, tallied his second of the game, unassisted, with 12:31 remaining.

“As a young team right now how to we convert this hard work and solid performances into wins,” said Delano. “That's something we have to learn.”

The Penguins were boosted by the return of a pair of injured players: freshman Dale Howard (broken nose) and transfer Dennis Maric (ankle). With Howard in the starting lineup it made eight freshmen starting for Delano's Penguins on Sunday.

“I thought it was really nice to have Dennis and Dale back. Both of them provided us with something we've been missing the last two games,” said Delano. “The important thing is to learn from this and continue to get better and give ourselves opportunities. We gave ourselves an opportunity to win today.”

Dominican returns to action on Wednesday to host Cal State San Bernardino in non-conference play. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. at Forest Meadows Field.