SANTA BARBARA, Calif. –
Guilianna McCarty and
Janae Schwan scored less than four minutes apart early in the second half Saturday afternoon as Dominican women's soccer earned a 2-0 PacWest victory over Westmont at Thorrington Field.
Dominican improved to 6-3-1 overall and earned its first conference victory while evening the all-time series with Westmont at 2-2. The Penguins controlled a 14-7 advantage in shots and placed 10 attempts on frame while limiting the Warriors to one shot on goal.
The match remained scoreless through the opening 45 minutes, but the complexion changed when Westmont's Gizela Zermeno was shown a red card in the 26th minute on a dangerous tackle that injured a Penguin. Dominican began finding additional space behind the Warriors' back line after gaining the player advantage. Schwan first found
Riley Gergurich making a run through the defense in the 32nd minute, but Ellie Ludwig stopped Gergurich's attempt. Schwan later made a similar run between defenders before Ludwig came off her line to snuff out the opportunity as the teams went to halftime scoreless.
It took Dominican only 41 seconds after the restart to break through. Schwan battled through contact inside the penalty area before Westmont knocked the ball away, but the clearance went no farther than McCarty. The sophomore collected it near the top-left corner of the 18-yard box and bent a shot across goal and inside the far post for her second goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.
Ysabella Belandres nearly doubled the advantage three minutes later, carrying the ball into space down the right side and sending a shot toward goal that glanced off the crossbar.
Dominican found the second goal moments later. The Penguins poked a ball free in midfield and it fell to Schwan, who shouldered it forward while keeping a defender screened on her hip. Schwan carried the advantage into the area and slotted a right-footed finish past Ludwig for a 2-0 lead in the 50th minute. The goal was Schwan's fourth of the season and eighth of her Dominican career, moving the senior into a tie with Shayna Elkins for 10th on the program's career goals list.
The Penguins continued generating opportunities after taking the two-goal advantage.
Carson Warfield forced another Ludwig save in the 56th minute, while
Kiana Ayllon put a shot on frame in the 64th.
Alondra Toriche came within inches of adding another in the 72nd minute when she let fly from about 30 yards and sent the attempt just over the crossbar.
Michelle Salas Viniegra made her return to the Dominican goal after missing the previous four matches following an injury Sept. 6 at Stanislaus State. The senior needed just one save to record her fourth shutout of the season as the Penguins posted their sixth clean sheet as a team.
Dominican will return home following the road trip to host Biola on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 12:30 p.m. at Kennelly Field.
