SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican women's soccer generated several opportunities to equalize during a strong second-half push Wednesday afternoon, but an early penalty kick proved to be the difference as CUI escaped Kennelly Field with a 1-0 PacWest victory.
Dominican moved to 6-6-1 overall and 1-3 in conference play, while CUI improved to 7-1-4 and remained unbeaten in the PacWest at 4-0-1. The Golden Eagles held a narrow 7-5 advantage in shots and put five attempts on goal compared with three for the Penguins.
Rylee Buesing made four saves for Dominican.
CUI scored the eventual game-winner in the 10th minute when Ashley Grubert converted a penalty kick for her 10th goal of the season. Grubert entered the afternoon as the Golden Eagles' leading scorer with nine goals and had converted both of her previous penalty attempts this season.
Dominican's first shot on goal came from a set piece in the 25th minute following a CUI foul and yellow card. A dummy on the free kick initially caught goalkeeper Christina Sidoti leaning away from the play, but
Ysabella Belandres' ensuing attempt stayed close enough to Sidoti's original position for her to recover and make the save. Buesing kept the deficit at one with her first save in the 36th minute, turning away Jocelyn Barzegar's attempt as Dominican went to halftime trailing 1-0.
CUI produced one of its most dangerous second-half chances in the 62nd minute when Bella Barrett put an attempt on frame. Buesing dove to her right and parried the shot away before the Dominican defense cleared the loose ball. The senior later added another save on Avery Munoz in the 71st minute. Dominican began creating its best sustained pressure midway through the half.
Brisa Navarrete put a shot on goal in the 68th minute, but the attempt took a deflection on its way through the defense, taking enough pace off the ball for Sidoti to make the save.
Lyric Gomez-Muniz nearly found the equalizer less than two minutes later. She drove into space near the upper-right corner of the penalty area and curled an attempt toward the near side of goal, but the shot carried just over the crossbar. Navarrete produced Dominican's best opportunity in the 73rd minute. Sidoti was still on the turf as the ball fell to Navarrete, who struck the chance with pace, but the shot went directly toward the goalkeeper and gave Sidoti enough time to regain her feet and make the save. Dominican earned a corner shortly afterward but could not find the tying goal.
CUI protected the one-goal advantage over the closing minutes despite being whistled for four fouls in the final four minutes, completing the shutout behind Sidoti's three saves. The result extended Dominican's winless run against the Golden Eagles to eight matches dating back to the Penguins' 1-0 victory in San Rafael in 2017.
Dominican remains home Friday when it hosts Vanguard at 11 a.m. at Kennelly Field.
