Box Score SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — It's been 16 years since the Dominican University of California men's soccer team has started a season this fast.

The Penguins extended their 2012 record to 5-1 on Saturday, beating a young California Maritime Academy team 5-0 in a non-conference contest at Kennelly Field in the John F. Allen Athletics Complex. The victory allowed Dominican to surpass its win total from last season and notch its best start since Sept. 17, 1996 when the Penguins beat San Francisco State 2-1 for their fifth win in six games. That year the Penguins won the NAIA's California Pacific Conference.

“It was obviously good for that group when they did that. It's good for us in the sense of where we have been in the last few years in trying to build the program and get in players who can help us compete at the NCAA Division II level,” said Jon Delano, Director of Soccer at Dominican. “Make no bones about it. It was important that we found the right the players to play at a higher level and it's good for the guys to start to see the benefits of all the hard work they are putting in.”

Against the Keelhaulers (0-4-0), the Penguins attempted 30 shots, including 23 in a row at one point, the most shots in a game since they recorded 31 in a 4-1 win over Cal Maritime last October 3.

Pedro Guevara had two goals and assist for Dominican while teammate Nuri Bon-Acosta contributed his first goal of the season plus an assist. Freshman Chris Sennes and sophomore Manny Sandoval-Gutierrez, both defenders, netted the other Penguins' goals, the first goals in their collegiate careers. Sam Vella and Kolby Mitnick added assists.
The visiting Keelhaulers, with seven underclassmen in their starting lineup, sacrificed offense for defense in the first half. They packed nine players in or near the 18-yard box, forcing the Penguins to possess and be patient.

Dominican finally scored with 22:02 left in the opening half as a result of a set piece. Bon-Acosta retrieved a corner kick by Swap Mushiana and crossed it to center back Sennes, who headed the ball into the net.

The Penguins doubled their lead less than two minutes later after Mitnick was taken down in the box. Guevara took the resulting penalty kick and beat Cal Maritime freshman goalkeeper Nathan Holly.

Guevara made it 3-0 with his eighth goal of the season and the 33rd of his career with just under six minutes in the half on a terrific combo pass play. Mushiana fed Mitnick who set up Guevara in the middle of the box for an easy tap-in goal. Mitnick came close to scoring on his own with 1:15 to go with Holly out of the net. But Keelhaulers' defender Alex Martinez denied Mitnick of a goal by kicking Mitnick's shot clear.

That was Dominican's 15th shot in the first half. Cal Maritime managed only two, one of them by Marshall Fice that required Penguins goalkeeper Erik Anderson to make a diving save, his only save of the game. He was replaced by freshman Patrick Rabbitt in the second half, Rabbitt's Dominican debut.

The only other scoring chance by the Keelhaulers was a through ball aimed at Fice that Dominican center back Cory Vanderpool booted free of danger.

The Penguins extended their lead to 4-0 when Vella connected with Bon-Acosta for a goal a mere 27 seconds into the second half and Sandoval-Gutierrez's goal came off a corner kick by Guevara. Delano cleared his bench, allowing 24 players to play. Half of them attempted at least one shot in the game.

“I thought we created enough scoring chances in the first half. Unfortunately we could have done a little bit better, but all and all it was good. I'm proud of the guys,” said Delano. “We just got to make sure we continue to stay healthy and rest up and we have a lot of games coming up the next month but the guys are excited. There is a good spirit amongst the group and a good feeling.”

The Penguins are on the road next Tuesday, Sept. 25 to play Holy Names University of Oakland, one of the four new members in the Pacific West Conference this season. Game time is 1:00 p.m. at Merritt College in Oakland.