Monterey Bay, CALIF. — Dominican University of California (3-0-0) collected its third consecutive victory to begin the 2022 season, this time besting Monterey Bay (1-2-1) by a score of 2-1. 

Senior keeper Alejandro Reyes received his first test just 32 seconds into the match when a ball from the Otters' Roberto Banegas was on-target, but Reyes made the quick save without hesitation. Reyes was tested a pair of times over the ensuing five minutes, but like before, he kept the game even before Dominican's offense took center stage. 

After two shots within 90 seconds of one another, sophomore Diego Grande beat his defender and sent the ball to the top of the box. Freshman Jesus Duran received the gift pass before quickly relaying a pass to junior Aboubacar Cisse who graciously accepted the favor and converted on a tap-in goal to give the Penguins a 1-0 advantage in the 18th minute. 

Dominican held the lead while continuing to test and be tested, but late in the 44th minute the Monterey Bay equalizer came after Ronaldo Guardarrama accepted a pass from Janos Kommerling who then beat Reyes with time winding down to draw the game back even before the half. 

A pair of early opportunities came and went for the Otters early in the second half before graduate student Brian Sanchez sent a ball towards the top of the Monterey Bay, but a save by the Otters' keeper kept the game even while both defenses began to show.

Neither team had more than two shots over a 20-minute span in the second half, but Cisse continued his early season magic in the 73rd minute with a threw ball into the box that landed on senior Elias Muro's foot while he was sprinting towards the goal. Muro left no choice but to leave his defender with a drastic last-ditch effort to challenge a potential goal, a play that would end with Muro getting taken down from behind in the box. Sanchez lined up for a penalty kick and, as he quite literally always does, converted on the PK to give his team the 2-1 advantage and eventual victory. 

Dominican will now take the week to prepare for its home matchup against Chico State on Thursday.