SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican men's soccer mounted a second-half comeback to draw 2-2 with University of Hawai'i at Hilo on Wednesday afternoon at Kennelly Field

Ricky Maldonado had a pair of assists to set up goals by Norman Tellez and Rolando Gonzalez for the Penguins (2-4-1, 0-0-1 PacWest). Mirai Sato and Koki Hamada had the goals for the Vulcans (1-2-2, 0-0-1 PacWest)

Iago Perez Ferreiro worked his way into some space in the middle of the box in the third minute looking to give UHH the lead, but the shot sailed high. Rolando Gonzalez had a good look at the goal for Dominican in the fourth minute until a body moved in front of his shot to block it on the way through. After bouncing around for a little, the ball found its way to Maldonado who took a strong shot towards the bottom right corner, but Paul Waschkau made a diving parry to push the ball away from his net. Shudai Ito took advantage of chaos in the box in the 20th minute with a strong shot towards the bottom left corner with the Penguins' Collin Nestor diving to stop the ball and keep the game tied.

Aidan Santos put a dangerous cross into the box in the 27th minute a defender cut it off, but it bounced right to the foot of Sato who knocked it home with his left foot for the 1-0 Vulcan lead. Sergio Laguna and Tellez worked a nifty combination pass to free Tellez at the top of the box for Dominican and he sent a shot towards the left post with Waschkau making an impressive diving save.

Christian Sotomayor took a surprise shot on a freekick from near midfield in the 55th minute placing the ball just under the crossbar, but Waschkau got his fingertips on it to push it over the bar. Felix Drizinsky threw a long ball into the box from the right side for UHH in the 58th minute and found Koki Hamada who headed the ball high over the charging Nestor and sneaking the ball inside the back post for the 2-0 Vulcan lead.

In the 63rd minute Laguna faked a pass and ducked inside the box before firing a shot that hit off the right post bouncing to the foot of Anthony Stainer who fired the rebound back to the center, but Waschkau was able to get his body in front of the shot and deflect it wide. Maldonado and Tellez worked a good combination minutes later with Maldonado pushing the last pass inside the box to Tellez who turned and shot to the bottom right corner cutting the Dominican deficit to 2-1 in the 67th minute. Two minutes later, Maldonado played a long ball ahead to Gonzalez who took a one-time shot to the left post to tie the game 2-2. 

Both teams made impressive runs over the next 20 minutes, but it was not until the 87th minute when Mirai Sato got a good look at a bouncing ball right in front of net, but Nestor made a sliding save to keep the game knotted up. Eric Reis got an equally good look in the 90th minute as a free kick found his head in the middle of the box but he was not able to generate enough power on it and Waschkau made the save as the game ended in a tie.

Dominican will continue its homestand Saturday as it hosts Chaminade at 3:30 p.m. PDT at Kennelly Field.