Box Score SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Playing without leading scorer Pedro Guevara and top attacking midfielder Swap Mushiana, the Dominican University of California men's soccer team didn't have the offensive ammunition to keep pace with high-scoring Fresno Pacific University on Wednesday in a stunning 6-0 loss at home.

Guevara was injured less than five minutes into the Pacific West Conference contest on Kennelly Field at the John F. Allen Athletics Complex. Last week, Mushiana also was injured less than five minutes into a 4-1 defeat at FPU. Their losses left the Penguins (7-4-0/3-4-0) and Jonathan Delano, Dominican's Director of Soccer, scrambling to place young players in unaccustomed positions.

“Knowing Swap is already out, then they see Pedro go off the field they more or less had a mental letdown,” said Delano. “Losses are good in the sense you can turn them into positives if you look at certain things and learn from those situations and collectively work together and rely on each other. I don't think we were able to do that today.”

The veteran Sunbirds (8-4-0/6-3-0), who started an all-upperclassmen lineup, were led by Paul Islas, who tallied two goals, and four international players (Brazilians Gustavo Silva, Fabricio Nazare and Bruno Pessoa and Spaniard  Alvaro Nogales) who accounted for the other goals.

FPU entered the game leading the PacWest in goals and points per game and would lead the nation in NCAA Division II if the Sunbirds were a full-fledged member. FPU, one of four new members of the 14-team conference, is in Candidacy Year 2 of its NCAA Division II process.

“Offensively, they are the most dangerous team we've played all season,” said Delano.

Though outscored 4-0 in the first half, Dominican, which was playing predominantly eight underclassmen, actually outshot the Sunbirds 5-2 at one point and threatened to take the lead or tie the game. The Penguins had the first best scoring chance in the first half when sophomore Kolby Mitnick maneuvered through the Sunbirds defense to set up classmate Nuri Bon-Acosta directly in front of the net but his shot went a foot wide left.

Dominican also had two other nice scoring opportunities. Co-captain David Mendez headed high a great free kick by Fabian Valdez-Mendoza and Mitnick had a neat give-and-go play that ended with Sunbird goalkeeper Fabian Rangel making the first save of the game.

Four minutes later, Nazare beat Dominican goalkeeper Erik Anderson on a penalty kick for a 2-0 lead and the Penguins were playing catch-up the rest of the afternoon. Freshman Patrick Rabbitt replaced Anderson (who came into the game sixth in the nation in NCAA Div. II in save percentage) in goal in the second half and recorded five of the team's seven saves. He was helped by hard-working co-captain Sam Vella, who played the entire game.

“There were times we did a good job defensively, but not collectively over 90 minutes,” said Delano. “It just wasn't consistent enough.”

The Penguins will hit the road again on Saturday when they travel to Arizona to face Grand Canyon University. The Antelopes are ranked No. 15 in NCAA Div. II and third in the NSCAA's West Regional rankings this week. Dominican returns to Kennelly Field in the John F. Allen Athletics Complex on Thursday, Oct. 18, to host Academy of Art in a 12:30 p.m. contest. Live coverage will be available at www.dominicanathletics.com/live.