SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican women's soccer erased a two-goal deficit with strikes from
Guilianna McCarty and
Emma Wilson in a 10-minute span, but Point Loma answered with a late winner to escape Kennelly Field with a 3-2 PacWest victory Saturday afternoon.
Dominican fell to 6-5-1 overall and 1-2 in conference play, while Point Loma improved to 6-2-5 and remained unbeaten in the PacWest at 3-0-2. The Penguins generated 10 of their 12 shots after halftime and finished with a 7-5 advantage in shots on goal. Cameron Simmons made five saves for the Sea Lions.
Dominican produced a pair of early looks in response.
Carson Warfield put the Penguins' first attempt on frame in the fourth minute, but Simmons handled it.
Janae Schwan followed with a much more dangerous opportunity in the 11th minute, striking with pace from the right side of the penalty area before Simmons made the save and pushed the ball out for a corner. Point Loma capitalized on an early Dominican mistake to take the lead in the fifth minute. A bad touch by the Penguins' defense put the ball directly at the feet of Maddy Saruwatari, who quickly took advantage and placed her shot into the lower-right corner for a 1-0 advantage at 4:08.
The Penguins continued searching for the equalizer after halftime.
Riley Gergurich came within inches in the 62nd minute, chipping an attempt from approximately 25 yards toward the upper-right corner. The shot struck the crossbar and dropped back into the area, where a charging
Bailey Nadell nearly connected with the rebound but could not get squarely behind it. Point Loma instead doubled its advantage in the 69th minute as Saruwatari intercepted a pass back, carried the ball toward the top of the box and used a touch to her right to create space before placing the shot across goal and inside the back post for a 2-0 lead.
Dominican answered only 20 seconds later.
Felicity Muro played forward to
Lyric Gomez-Muniz in the middle of the attacking third, and Gomez-Muniz quickly moved the ball on to McCarty. The sophomore was alone with Simmons and calmly placed her shot into the lower-left corner to cut the deficit to 2-1 at 68:31. It was McCarty's third goal of the season, with Gomez-Muniz and Muro receiving the assists. The Penguins continued to press and nearly found the equalizer in the 78th minute.
Ysabella Belandres found McCarty at an angle on the right side, and McCarty tried to beat Simmons high, but the goalkeeper got a fingertip to the attempt and sent it out for a corner.
Schwan and Warfield worked a short give-and-go off the corner before Warfield eluded a defender and drove a cross into the middle. Wilson met it first time and lifted her shot over Simmons for her first goal of the season, pulling the Penguins even at 2-2 in the 79th minute. Schwan nearly completed the turnaround just 31 seconds later, forcing Simmons into a leaping save on another attempt toward the top of the goal. The senior finished with three shots and put two on frame.
Point Loma reclaimed the lead with 5:18 remaining. Maddie Khan carried down the right side and sent a cross through the penalty area to Nikki Ross, who met it first time and slotted the finish home for the game-winning goal at 84:42.
Michelle Salas Viniegra made two saves for Dominican, increasing her career total to 76 and moving alone into fifth place on the program's all-time saves list after entering the match tied with Natalie Haro at 74.
Dominican remains home Wednesday to host Concordia University Irvine at 12:30 p.m. at Kennelly Field.
