SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The 2015 Dominican University of California men's soccer team has had two days to train. On Wednesday, they stepped onto the pitch for an exhibition at Division I Sacramento State and left with a 2-2 draw to their credit.
Dominican looked fit early and despite nine first half shots by the Hornets, kept the match scoreless through the first 45 minutes of action. A lapse five minutes into the second half quickly changed the mood, as Brad Bumgarner finished to the far left post to put the Hornets on the board first. Sacramento State added a second goal in the 64th minute when Elias Rieland converted a turnover into a scoring opportunity. His shot from the top of the box about 35 yards out brushed off the fingertips of Dominican goalkeeper
Patrick Rabbitt and into the net.
The Penguins broke the seal in the 69th minute on
Matt Case's goal.
Danny Manfred found Case in the box, where a shot deflected off of a defender and in. Dominican continued to attack — the Penguins took five shots in the second half compared to only one in the first half. In the 89th minute,
Chase Goulart played a ball wide of the box wide of the 18 and served a ball into the box, where Elk Grove, California native
Martin Gonzalez made the most of his homecoming with a header to tie the game at 2-2.
Gonzalez's goal forced overtime and the Penguins took three shots while the Hornets took four. Rabbitt played well in overtime, being the first to the ball on a corner kick and punching out a long throw-in to preserve the draw.
The Penguins' 2015 campaign officially starts on Thursday, Sept. 3 at Cal State East Bay. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Pioneer Stadium.