No. 24-Ranked Toros' Slide Continues in 1-0 Men's Soccer Loss to Humboldt State
September 29, 2006

Complete Box Score

Carson, CA -- The 24th-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills men’s soccer team dropped its third-straight decision, and fifth in its last six contests, as they fell 1-0 to visiting Humboldt State Friday night in Toro Stadium. With the loss, CSUDH plummets to the bottom of the CCAA’s south division with its 7-5-0, 3-5-0 CCAA mark, while HSU moves into 3rd place in the CCAA’s north by improving to 8-3-1, 4-3-1 CCAA.

The two teams played to a scoreless first half, with both sides launching seven shots apiece in the first 45-minute session. The visitors had a great chance to take the game’s first lead at the 13:05 mark as Lance Pimentel found himself on the receiving end of a loose ball, but CSUDH keeper Kyle Polak (Huntington Beach, CA/CS Fullerton) raced from his box to meet the oncoming Pimentel, whose hurried shot sailed wide of the goal.

Both defenses buckled down after the break, with eight shots total being taken. The ‘Jacks had another chance to break the scoreless tie at the 68:59 mark as HSU’s Andres Ripa played the role of Pimentel on his breakaway, only to see Derby Carrillo (La Mirada, CA/St. John Bosco HS) step up to the challenge by stepping out from his line to cause another errant shot.

The game took a turn for the worse for the Toros as striker Mario Guerrero (Riverside, CA/La Sierra HS) was issued a red card for foul play at 74:42, limiting the Toros to 10 men the rest of the game. Humboldt State would take advantage of that opportunity nine minutes later as Eric Webster would intercept a ball deep in Toro territory at the 83:30 mark, and serve it to Ripa, who beat Carrillo near side from 6 yards out for a 1-0 lead.

That would prove the difference-maker as HSU keeper Drew Ryan throttled all Toro efforts over the final seven minutes to preserve the HSU shutout win. Ryan stopped four Toro shots on the night, while Polak was credited with the lone Toro save.

The road doesn’t get any easier for the Toros as reigning CCAA Champion Sonoma State pays a visit to Carson with its perfect 8-0 CCAA mark and eight-game winning streak, one season removed from its 1-0 2OT victory over CSUDH in the conference title game last November. Festivities against the Seawolves begin at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday in Toro Stadium.