Toros Men Survive a Scare But Upend No. 7 Cal State Bakersfield in Soccer Overtime Match, 5-4
Gabriel Valencia's second goal of the game lifts CSUDH to crucial CCAA win and clinches the CCAA Central
October 30, 2002

Complete Box Score

CARSON, Calif.- For 83 minutes it looked as if the Toros would cruise to an easy win over No. 7-ranked Cal State Bakersfield in a crucial California Collegiate Athletic Association game Wednesday at Toro Field. However, the Roadrunners sent the match into overtime with an amazing three-goal effort over a 1:09 span to tie the game at 4-4 to send it into the extra period.

Roadrunner-killer Gabriel Valencia (Salesian HS) knocked in the game-winner, his second goal of the match, to propel the Toros to the 5-4 win and a clinch of the CCAA Central Division crown.

Cal State Dominguez Hills took a 3-0 halftime lead on goals by Victor Guerrero (Century HS), Valencia and Ryan Taylor (Ayala HS). Guerrero struck first on a penalty kick giving CSUDH a 1-0 lead at 17:13. Valencia made it 2-0 on a counter heading home a cross from Michael Jimenez (Bishop Montgomery HS) in the 31st minute. Taylor then closed out the scoring in the first half with his first of two goals in the game. Taylor one-timed his shot to the near post from 15-yards after Eddie Gonzales-Pinto (N. Torrance HS) played back the ball from the goalmouth making it 3-0.

Bakersfield's Joey Mejias (Mayfair HS) made it 3-1 in the 60th minute, touching home a far post flick after a long Drew Rea throw. But Taylor gave CSUDH a three-goal advantage once again in the 80th minute sending his shot to the far post off a nice cross from defender Jeff Kunze (Edison HS).

The 'Runners then began their version of the The Fast and the Furious by scoring three consecutive goals over the next 1:09 to forge a 4-4 tie. At 83:10, Kyle Gookins started the madness slotting a through ball under Javier Barragan (LB Jordan HS) to trip the deficit to 4-2. Mejias then tallied his second goal of the game, and 15th of the season, just 37 seconds later to make it 4-3 with just over six minutes to play.

It was déjà vu all over again as Gookins knotted the match 32 seconds later on a goal similar to his first. His second goal sent the game into overtime, setting up Valencia's heroics. Seven minutes into the extra period, Valencia scored the match-winner on a beautiful header to the near post off an even prettier cross from Jimenez.

The upset win gives No. 11 CSUDH its third consecutive CCAA Central Division title and the top seed in the CCAA Championship Tournament to be held next week, Nov. 8-10 at Sonoma State University. If the seedings hold, the Toros will play UC San Diego in a semifinal match on Nov. 8.

The win closes out a memorable heritage that began in 1978 for Cal State Dominguez Hills. Toro Field has played host to two NCAA II Soccer Final Four Championships, several NCAA playoff games and one CCAA Championship Tournament just to name a few events. Due to progress and the Home Depot National Training Center, which is set to open in June 2003, the Toros will move to a new 5,000 seat soccer complex just south of Toro Field beginning next year.

Cal State Dominguez Hills (15-3-1, 12-1-0 CCAA) closes out its regular season with a match at Cal State L.A. this Saturday beginning at 3:00 p.m. CS Bakersfield (16-3-0, 11-2-0 CCAA) concluded its regular season schedule hosting Cal State Stanislaus also on Saturday.