No. 24-Ranked Toros Rain on Sonoma State’s Parade in 5-0 Whitewash
Toros break three-game skid as Mariano and Madrigal notch two goals apiece
October 1, 2006

Complete Box Score

Carson, CA -- Freshman Scott Mariano (Artesia, CA/Gahr HS) and junior Julio Madrigal (Inglewood, CA/LA Harbor College) both scored twice as 24th-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills ignored both the current CCAA standings and their recent play in handing North Division leader and reigning CCAA Champion Sonoma State its first conference loss, a convincing 5-0 shutout on a moist Sunday afternoon at Toro Stadium.

With the win, CSUDH avenged both a 6-0 regular season drubbing and a 1-0 double overtime loss handed to them by SSU last season, the latter coming in the CCAA title game, and improved to 8-5, 4-5 CCAA, while SSU saw its eight-game winning streak shattered in falling to 9-4, 8-1 CCAA.

The Toros played intense and with purpose from the start, peppering SSU goalie Brook Johnson with 12 shots in the first half alone. Senior Jesse Graham (San Diego, CA/Pt. Loma HS) got the Toros on the board at 26:24, staying with a blocked shot attempt and dribbling the rebound past the fallen Johnson for the 1-0 lead. Graham would play a role in the Toros’ second goal as he sent a beautiful cross to Mariano, whose header beat Johnson near post at 32:16.

That’s where the score remained until deep into the second half when the fire that seemed to be lacking in Friday’s 1-0 loss to visiting Humboldt State again showed life as CSUDH found the back of the net three times in the final seven minutes.

Madrigal, with assists from Kyle Holland (Redondo Beach, CA/DeAnza College) and Devin Toohey (Santa Paula, CA/Ventura College), began the deluge by beating Johnson one-on-one at 83:23, and was followed by Mariano at 85:56, who picked the SSU defense clean and beat Johnson for the second time on the afternoon. Madrigal would put the proverbial icing on the cake as he finished a 3-on-1 opportunity in fine style, taking a feed from Humberto Lopez (Bellflower, CA/Cerritos College) and connecting for the final goal as time expired.

Holland was sensational in leading the offensive opportunities, controlling the ball deep in SSU territory and continually finding Toro forwards streaking towards the goal.

On the day, CSUDH tallied 23 shots to SSU’s 8, resulting in eight saves by Johnson compared to three by the Toros’ Kyle Polak (Huntington Beach, CA/CS Fullerton). CSUDH also out-cornered SSU by a 7-6 count, but tallied 26 fouls against the Seawolves’ 14 in a game the Toros have looked forward to since the Seawolves bested CSUDH last year for the CCAA title on November 6 .

The Toros look to continue their new-found momentum against southern California rival UC San Diego on Wednesday, October 4, with first kick scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. start in Toro Stadium.