SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican women's soccer pushed through a rainy Thursday afternoon at Kennelly Field, finding the breakthrough early in the second half to earn a 1-0 victory over San Francisco State.
The Penguins (3-1-0) finished with an 11-4 advantage in shots, placed six attempts on frame and held the Gators (0-1-1) without a corner kick.
Michelle Salas Viniegra made two saves in goal for Dominican as the Penguins recorded their third shutout in four matches to open the season.
The conditions slowed both sides early, with neither team attempting a shot for the first 23 minutes. Dominican's first dangerous chance came shortly after on a free kick from about 30 yards out as
Carson Warfield sent a bending ball toward the bottom-left corner, but Peyton Graham made a diving save to push it wide of the post. On the ensuing corner,
Kamaya Yazzie got her shin on the ball and steered it toward goal, but Graham was in position to make the save.
Dominican continued to create the better chances late in the half. Warfield served another strong ball into the middle of the box on a set piece, and
Clea Jimenez Donovan was able to get her head to it sending the attempt inches wide of the right post as the match went into the break scoreless.
The Penguins kept the pressure on after halftime, earning back-to-back corner kicks in the opening two minutes of the second half.
Ayla Moore got her head on the second service in the 48th minute, but her attempt went right at Graham for the save.
Dominican finally broke through in the 52nd minute.
Ysabella Belandres got the ball up the right side, slipped it past her defender along the end line and crossed to
Takoah Castillo near the top-right corner of the 6-yard box. Castillo put her shot toward the back post, where a San Francisco State defender was able to kick it away from danger, but only as far as
Janae Schwan near the penalty spot. Schwan touched it back to Warfield near the top of the 18-yard box, and Warfield one-timed her shot off the underside of the crossbar and into the netting for the 1-0 lead.
Kiana Ayllon nearly added to the lead in the 69th minute after getting behind the defense for a one-on-one chance, but Graham closed the distance and made a sliding save to keep the Gators within one. Ayllon found space behind the back line again in the 78th minute and beat the goalkeeper to the ball, but her one-time attempt went just right of the post.
San Francisco State's best chance came in the 82nd minute as Avery Bollin found room near the top of the 18-yard box and sent a shot toward the bottom-right corner, forcing Salas Viniegra into a diving save. The Penguins kept the Gators from finding another clean look the rest of the way to preserve the shutout.
Dominican will hit the road Sunday as it takes on Stanislaus State at 7 p.m. at Warrior Stadium.
