San Rafael, CALIF. -- Dominican University of California women's soccer (3-6-4, 0-4-1) earned a clean sheet against UC Santa Cruz (6-3-2) in non-conference action on Wednesday. 

The Penguins controlled the time of possession throughout the entirety of the match, with the team's first shot coming just 80 seconds into the game off the foot of sophomore Ireland O'Donnell. Two more shots came over the ensuing five minutes, with the first shot on target connecting in the 12th minute Banana Slugs' keeper Alyssa Tucker turned aside senior Tanya Bills. 

Dominican's first tally came in the 21st minute after Bills was taken down inside the box following a juke that saw her leave the defender behind. In a last ditch effort to save a potential goal, the defender took Bills down from behind, giving senior Gabrielle Wampler a penalty kick. Wampler placed the ball in the center left of the frame as the UCSC keeper dove right, giving Dominican a one-goal advantage. 

Graduate student Marissa Ray looked to double the lead in the 26th minute when she sped past her defender to the left of the UCSC goal, but a diving Tucker met Ray inside the box as the keeper kept her team within one. Dominican keeper Angelina Hert made her first and only save in the 40th minute to secure the Dominican lead as the game paused for halftime. 

Dominican doubled its advantage in the 55th minute when a O'Donnell sent a strike on net from outside the box, an attempt that was steered aside by a diving Tucker as she dove to her left. To the goalie's dismay, the rebound landed directly onto the foot of junior Jackie Lancaster who wasted no time in delivering the nail in the coffin, giving Dominican a 2-0 lead. 

Dominican almost struck a third time in the 62nd minute when a Alejandra Melendez shot found the left post before landing on the foot of senior Alison McNeal, but McNeal's strike sailed inches over the top woodwork as a sigh of relief rang across the UCSC side of the pitch. The potential third goal would prove unnecessary, however, as Dominican eventually secured a 2-0 victory. 

The Penguins owned the stat sheet, sending 15 shots towards the target as opposed to three from their opponents, finding the target five times. O'Donnell and Melendez led their squad with three shots apiece while Bills, McNeal and Wampler all added a pair, respectively. Hert's lone save in the first half would be enough to secure a clean sheet, her third of the season.