Box Score Dominican, CALIF — Graduate Student Brian Sanchez kept his penalty streak alive, netting his third penalty kick of the season in dramatic fashion to help Dominican (4-1-0) beat San Francisco state (1-2-1) at Kennelly Field on Sunday. 

Dominican found itself on the attack in the early stages of the game as freshman Jesus Duran sent a scorcher towards the bottom left side of the goal, but Gators keeper Matias Herrera Fuentes steered it aside to keep the game even. Sophomore Diego Grande was next to test the keeper, sending another ball towards the lower left side of the frame with a similar outcome. Dominican sent a total of seven shots towards the keeper in the opening half, with perhaps the closest opportunity coming on a near miss as Herrera Fuentes was sent soaring towards the far post in a last-ditch effort to keep the ball out of the net, with his solace coming as the ball sailed a hair wide of the frame. 

Aside from the Penguins offense, a subtle storyline of the first half was the chippy play as both teams penciled themselves onto the foul common a plethora of times. The Gators added their first yellow card in the 33rd minute with Dominican following suit in the 41st as the two combatants combined for five bookings and 18 fouls on the afternoon. Physicality aside, the two teams marched to their respective home bases even at 0-0. 

A near-goal came for Dominican in the 64th minute when senior Christopher Barrios sent a shot of the outstretched fingertips of a, yet again, diving Herrera Fuentes who got just enough on the ball to direct it aside. The pattern of similar outcomes continued in the 82nd when sophomore Lex Bernier found himself streaking towards the goal inside the box, but this opportunity was also steered aside by an lengthened Herrera Fuentes. 

The outstretched keeper finally succumbed to a Dominican shot in the 86th minute when relentless Penguin pressure eventually evolved into a handball inside the box by a Gators defender, sending Sanchez to his sweet spot in the 86th minute. Sanchez took his time to read the keeper before stepping back and delivering a rocket to the bottom right-90 of the goal, giving Dominican the relief it needed in the form of a 1-0 lead. The lead held over the ensuing four minutes until the final horn, improving Dominican's record to 4-1. 

Dominican now prepares for Wednesday when it takes its talents north to Sonoma State for a mid-week clash against the Seawolves.