Coyotes Women Upset Toros, 2-1, in CCAA Soccer Match
October 25, 2004

Courtesy Cal State San Bernardino Sports Information Office

SAN BERNARDINO -- Cal State San Bernardino's women's soccer team defeated Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2-1, Monday at Coyotes Premier Field, increasing the Coyotes' chances of gaining a spot in the four-team California Collegiate Athletic Association championship tourney on Nov. 5-7.

The victory gives the Coyotes a 6-4-2 record in the CCAA (8-7-2 overall) and 20 points in the CCAA South Division, one point behind Cal Poly Pomona, which played at UC San Diego Monday night.

The loss dropped the Toros to 8-3-1 (12-5-1 overall) in the CCAA, a half-game back of the Tritons, depending on the outcome of their match with the Broncos. The North and South champions and the two teams with the next best point totals advance to the CCAA tournament to be held at Dominguez Hills. Chico State has already clinched the North Division title. Sonoma State, with 19 points, is also in the hunt for an at-large berth.

The Coyotes have a chance to determine their own destiny because they play UC San Diego at 7 p.m. Wednesday night in La Jolla and then finish up the regular season against Cal State L.A. on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on the Golden Eagles field.

Sophomore Staci Piszyk scored what proved to be the match-deciding goal for the Coyotes in the 78th minute. Piszyk accepted a pass from junior Ashley Licata just outside the 18-yard line and fired a blast into the upper shelf of the net for a 2-0 Coyotes lead.

CSUSB senior Michelle Lopez, playing the final home match of her four-year career at Cal State San Bernardino, scored the first goal of the day just 8:09 into the first half as she drilled a low shot inside the near post after ball served by junior Valerie Evans went off the hands of Toros goalkeeper Mallory Dominguez directly to a wide-open Lopez.

It was Lopez' 27th goal of her career, moving her into sole possession of fifth place on the Coyotes all-time goals-scored list. It was her fifth goal of the season. The goal gives her 66 points for her career, tying her for fifth all-time with Jamie Caffrey.

The Toros, kept on their heels most of the match by an aggressive Coyotes offense and stingy defense, broke through in the 81st minute when Katie Roche fired a shot from close range off a pass from Nikki Szlak.

CSUSB missed a solid opportunity in the first half when senior Amy Raymond's free kick caromed off the crossbar midway through the first period. It was the Coyotes' first win over the Toros since a 2-1 victory in 2000. The Toros won the first meeting of the two teams this year 3-2 in Carson.

Play was halted briefly in the second period when a tarantula showed up near the midfield area and was scooped up in a bag by Coyotes Head Coach Noah Kooiman and taken away.

CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO 2, CS DOMINGUEZ HILLS 1

CS Dominguez Hills goal: Katie Roche (assist) Nikki Szlak.

CS San Bernardino goals: Michelle Lopez (assist Val Evans); Staci Piszyk (assist Ashley Licata).

Shots on goal: Toros 7; Coyotes 10

Corner kicks: Toros 4; Coyotes 1

Goalie saves: Mallory Dominguez (DH) 2; Leslie Rhodes (SB) 0.