MERCED, Calif. – Dominican men's soccer found its answer early in the second half Saturday night as it battled UC Merced to a 1-1 draw at Bobcat Field.
The Penguins (0-1-1) finished with nine shots and placed four on frame, while UC Merced held a narrow 10-9 advantage in shots, a 5-4 edge in shots on goal and a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks.
Adam Clem made four saves in his first start in net for Dominican, including three in the second half, to help the Penguins leave Merced with the draw.
UC Merced struck first in the ninth minute as Daniel Gaona scored an unassisted goal to give the Bobcats the early lead. Dominican began to settle in after the opening push from the home side, with
Rolando Gonzalez sending a shot high and right in the 16th minute before
Sebastian Jaral missed left in the 20th. The Penguins continued to build toward the equalizer late in the first half, earning corner kicks in the 28th, 30th and 39th minutes.
Sebastian Jaral had a shot saved by the team in the 20th minute, while
Adrian Garcia sent an attempt high in the 39th.
Anthony Stainer put Dominican's best first-half look on frame in the 43rd minute before
Brenon Kirkes sent a final attempt high and right moments later as UC Merced took its 1-0 lead into the break.
Dominican came out of halftime with immediate pressure, earning a corner kick less than a minute into the period. Gonzalez sent a shot over the frame in the 47th minute and then forced a save in the 49th before
Oliver Gonzalez followed with another shot on goal moments later.
Rolando Gonzalez had one more look in the 52nd minute, and the breakthrough came shortly after as
Adrian Garcia scored unassisted in the 54th minute to tie the match at 1-1. UC Merced answered with a stretch of pressure of its own, but Clem kept the match level. He stopped shots by Gaona in the 63rd minute, Ezekiel Cruz in the 67th and Omar Garcia in the 72nd as the Bobcats searched for the go-ahead goal. Dominican's final chance came in the 85th minute when
Ben Schumann's shot clipped the top woodwork, and the Penguins held firm through the final minutes to secure the draw.
Dominican will stay on the road as it takes on Cal State East Bay on Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Oakland Roots Training Facility.
