FRESNO, Calif. - Dominican women's soccer pushed for an equalizer throughout the second half Wednesday night, but Fresno Pacific held on for a 1-0 victory at Ramirez Field.
The Penguins (3-2-1) finished with a 13-8 advantage in shots, including a 9-1 edge in the second half, but placed just one attempt on frame. The Sunbirds (1-1-0) scored the lone goal in the 10th minute as Brylia Banuelos finished an unassisted chance to give Fresno Pacific the early lead.
Fresno Pacific created several looks in the opening minutes, forcing
Rylee Buesing into back-to-back saves in the ninth minute before earning a corner kick that helped lead to the breakthrough. Banuelos scored moments later, and the Sunbirds carried the 1-0 lead into halftime.
Dominican began to settle in after the goal and generated its first strong sequence in the 25th minute. The Penguins earned a corner kick before
Kamaya Yazzie put an attempt toward goal, but the shot stayed off frame.
Emma Wilson and
Jada Hart each added late first-half looks as Dominican continued searching for the equalizer. The Penguins tilted the match in their favor after the break, holding Fresno Pacific to one second-half shot while continuing to build pressure.
Clea Jimenez Donovan sent an attempt wide left in the 47th minute,
Janae Schwan missed high in the 51st and
Mealani Salema had a look go wide left in the 56th.
Dominican kept pushing through the final 20 minutes, earning a corner kick in the 68th minute before Yazzie sent another attempt high in the 72nd.
Carson Warfield had a look go wide right in the 82nd minute, and
Gia Aldama followed with an attempt high in the 84th as the Penguins continued to spend time in the attacking half. The best late chance came in the 84th minute when Schwan put Dominican's lone shot on goal toward the bottom-right corner, but Brielle Calhoun was able to secure the ball moving to her right. Schwan provided one last chance at an equalizer in the 88th minute as she sent a beautiful cross into the middle of the box but the two Penguins in the box were unable to get a boot on it as it trickled out wide left of the net.
Dominican will return home Saturday to host Cal Poly Humboldt at noon at Kennelly Field.
