Toros shut out Seawolves, 2-0

<p>ROHNERT PARK — Beware a champion on its heels, as the Sonoma State University men’s soccer team learned Friday in a 2-0 loss to Cal State Dominquez Hills.</p><p>The defending NCAA Division II titlists had lost three of their past five games and were desperate for a win. The Seawolves were undefeated and ranked No. 7 in the nation.</p><p>But it was the Toros who looked stronger in the shutout win that could turn around their season.</p><p>Sonoma State now is the team looking to regain momentum and they face an even tougher foe Sunday in CSU Los Angeles, the nation’s top-ranked Div. II team.</p><p>“It was definitely a disappointing loss. I thought we got out-fought and out-worked,” said Sonoma State head coach Marcus Ziemer. “This is the first game we haven’t shown up and competed. I think we’re going to bounce back favorably.”</p><p>Dominguez Hills controlled much of the first half and deployed a stout defense in the second 45 minutes to secure what head coach Joe Flanagan said was a “big win” as the Toros attempt to climb back into the NCAA tournament picture.</p><p>“If we had lost today we would have been in serious trouble. We would have been on life support. This keeps us going,” Flanagan said.</p><p>Friday’s contest promised to be hard fought as the two perennial national powers met for the first time since SSU defeated Dominguez Hills for the California Collegiate Athletic Association championship last season.</p><p>The Seawolves looked poised to extend their six-game winning streak, controlling the ball for the first 10 minutes of the game.</p><p>Often getting the ball deep on outside runs by its forwards, led by Cam Vickers, Brandon Dela Cruz and Trevor Hurst, SSU spread the Dominguez Hills defense to set up crossing passes and scoring chances. Toros defenders were forced to foul, giving the Seawolves more than a handful of set plays off free kicks.</p><p>But the Seawolves couldn’t score, including one chance when Toros’ goalkeeper Markus Dickerson leaped and punched a shot over the crossbar for his most difficult save of the game.</p><p>Several of Dickerson’s saves led to corner kicks, but again Sonoma State was thwarted on set plays, including another shot that Dickerson punched out of a crowd in front of the goal.</p><p>Dominguez Hills eventually evened the shot count and put more chances on goal.</p><p>The Toros first score came when Alex Munoz dribbled down the left side and blasted a slicing line drive from 25 yards out that somehow snuck inside the right goalpost and beyond the reach of Seawolves’ goalkeeper Brook Johnson. Earlier, Johnson scrambled to stuff a shot from close range after Diego Turoldo got free to boot a loose ball.</p><p>Sonoma State had never trailed at the half this season before Friday.</p><p>“They were fighting for their lives. They came out scratching and clawing,” Ziemer said “We didn’t match it in the first half. In the second half we did.”</p><p></p><p>Clearly there was a sense of urgency in the second half. The Seawolves pushed the play up field with long passes, crosses and headers, rarely turning over the ball.</p><p>Still, the Seawolves only managed three shots and none were on goal, as the Toros packed the midfield and penalty box to prevent scoring chances and regain possession.</p><p>Dominguez Hills’ offense also mustered few scoring chances. The Toros second goal came off one of its few long runs with Johnson making a difficult save, but Turoldo banging the rebound just under the crossbar.</p><p>Friday was a tough day for Seawolves soccer as the Sonoma State women lost, 1-0, to Dominguez Hills on a late goal.</p><p>The first home loss for the Seawolves this season came against the NCAA West Region’s eighth ranked women’s team.</p>