No. 1 Toros Hold On for 3-2 Season Opening Men's Soccer Win over Alliant
Eduardo Serrano registers two goals including the game-winning shot in CSUDH debut
August 29, 2002

Complete Box Score

CARSON, Calif.- Eduardo Serrano tallied two goals to propel the Cal State Dominguez Hills men's soccer team, ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls, to a 3-2 win today over visiting Alliant University at Toro Field.

Junior midfielder Eddie Gonzales-Pinto (N. Torrance HS) put the home team on the board first with a beautiful shot in the 27th minute. Gonzales-Pinto took the ball on the left side and hit a 30-yard blast to the upper far corner giving CSUDH a 1-0 lead. The score remained the same until Serrano, a junior forward transfer from Humboldt State, knocked in his first goal of the game at 48:22 on a penalty kick. On that play, senior All-America forward Gabriel Valencia (Salesian HS) was pulled down inside the penalty box setting up the penalty shot. Serrano converted for a 2-0 lead.

Three minutes later at 51:34, Serrano took a feed from Valencia and from 18-yards out beat Alliant goalie John Tozar to the near post for a 3-0 lead. But Alliant responded quickly for its first strike of the game. At 53:34 Benjamin Leitner took a cross from Dario Hausler and hit a blast from 20-yards away to the far post over CSUDH keeper Javier Barragan making it 3-1.

Alliant University cut the lead to 3-2 at 62:24 when Hausler collected a loose ball in front of the mouth of the goal and sent his shot to the far post. But the Toros defense would stave off the Mountain Lions the rest of the way to go on for the 3-2 victory.

In the game, CSUDH outshot Alliant 14-11. Javier Barragan earned the win making 3 saves in the game. John Tozar suffered the loss registering 5 saves on the day while allowing all three goals.

The win was a bit of sweet revenge for Cal State Dominguez Hills. Last year on September 28, Alliant brought an end to the Toros 23 game winning streak and 32 game unbeaten streak with a 1-0 upset in San Diego.

CSUDH is back in action this Saturday hosting non-conference foe Cal Baptist in a game beginning at 4 PM.