Box Score HAYWARD, Calif. — Hoping to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 2008 when they won the California Pacific Conference, the Dominican University of California women's soccer team received a rude awakening on Saturday at Pioneer Stadium in Hayward.

Cal State East Bay (1-1) scored a controversial goal in the first half and added another barely a minute into the second half to hand the visiting Penguins a 2-0 non-conference defeat. Though Dominican determinedly pressed hard to score, particularly in the final 30 minutes, it suffered its first defeat of the season.

“I thought we were decent through the entire game. We just had some things that didn't go our way,” said Dominican Director of Soccer Jon Delano. “Those are the things we can't control. We worry about the things we can control.”

The Penguins complained but were helpless to do anything about in the first half when a shot by Cal State East Bay's Shianna Falk eluded the grasp of Dominican goalkeeper Megan Herring and landed on the feet of Pioneers teammate Eugenie Foote, who appeared offsides on the play. Foote tapped the ball into the empty goal, though a replay at halftime confirmed she was two steps offsides.

The Pioneers came dangerously close 10 minutes later to extending their first-half lead to 2-0 but Herring made an incredible diving save of a shot by CSU East Bay's Ariana Nobrega.

Otherwise, Herring relied on the likes of freshman center back Megan Hanson to keep East Bay at bay.
“I thought Megan Hanson was fantastic again in the back. She was superb,” Delano said.

Offensively, Dominican received a boost off the bench from Kaitlynn Baptista, and Mallory Engelhardt in the second half and a solid performance from Tori Selesia.

“I thought Tori was very effective,” Delano said. “Very dangerous anytime that she got the ball.”

The Lady Penguins, however, were always one step short of scoring, beaten to the ball by the Pioneers whenever a scoring chance bordered on promising. Though Nobrega's goal a minute and a half into the second half momentarily stunned Dominican, the Lady Penguins closed out the last half of the game by playing their best soccer of the day.

“All in all it wasn't a bad performance but it wasn't our best,” said Delano. “I don't think 2-0 was indicative of the game. It was a good experience coming out of the last game (a 2-1 win over Sonoma State on Thursday) and see where we are getting ready for conference.”

Dominican hosts Western Washington in San Rafael on Wednesday at 1 p.m. before beginning Pacific West Conference play on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 12:00 p.m. at Academy of Art University in San Francisco.