SEASIDE, Calif. – The fifth-seeded Cal State San Marcos men's soccer team (7-7-5) upset No. 9 and top-seeded Cal State Dominguez Hills (12-3-4) with a 3-2 overtime victory in the semifinals of the CCAA Tournament on Friday at Cardinale Stadium on the campus of Cal State Monterey Bay.
 
GOALS
CSUDH – 7' Ramiro Rosas (Assisted by Lucas Galarza)
CSUSM – 31' Andrew Valencia (Assisted by Brando Oros)
CSUDH – 55' Aldair Marta (Assisted by Lucas Galarza)
CSUSM – 74' Cisco Avila (Assisted by Efren Nunez Dominguez)
CSUSM – 95' Efren Nunez Dominguez (Assisted by Cisco Avila)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Toros first struck in the seventh minute. Controlling the ball on the left side of the box, Luca Galarza made a pass to the top left corner of the six-yard box to Ramiro Rosas, who put a shot into the right corner of the goal to make it 1-0.
• A CSUSM corner kick from the left side went off the head of Brando Oros before hitting the crossbar. Andrew Valencia then headed in the rebound to tie the match at 1-1 in the 31st minute.
• Both teams took 10 shots each in the first half while CSUSM led in shots on goal at 3-2.
• CSUDH retook the lead at 2-1 in the 55th minute. A low cross from near the touchline on the right side of the box by Galarza found Aldair Marta at the top of the six-yard box, who put a shot into the left side of the goal.
• Off a free kick from midway in Toro territory by Efren Nunez Dominguez, Cisco Avila connected on the ball at the six-yard box and headed the ball into the center of the net to tie the game again at 2-2.
• Heading into overtime still tied 2-2, CSUSM made history in the 95th minute. Off a CSUDH goal kick, CSUSM received the ball at midfield before Avila headed a pass down the field to Nunez Dominguez, who took a shot past two Toro defenders in the box and into the center of the goal to hand the Cougars the golden-goal win.

 
QUICK KICKS

• This was CSUSM's first win over a nationally ranked top-10 team in the program's NCAA Division II era (2015-present) and was the Cougars' first win against a ranked team since defeating No. 25 Fresno Pacific on Sept. 5, 2019.
• This was the Cougars' first postseason win since joining the CCAA without going to a penalty kick shootout.
• Nunez Dominguez's team-leading 10th goal of the season tied CSUSM's single-season record.
• With his three points for the day, Nunez Dominguez now has 26 for the year, tying the program's single-season record.
• Nunez Dominguez led all players with nine total shots and three shots on goal.
• Avila's goal was his fourth of the season, while Valencia's was his second.
• The Cougars ended the game with the edge in shots (23-16), shots on goal (7-5) and possession (51%-49%) while both teams took six corners.
• CSUSM is the first No. 5 seed to advance to the CCAA Tournament's championship game since Cal State LA in 2017, which went on to win the tournament against second-seeded Cal Poly Pomona.
• This was CSUDH's first loss against a CCAA opponent this season.

 

UP NEXT
CSUSM will make its debut in the CCAA Tournament's championship game on Sunday as it takes on No. 3 and second-seeded Stanislaus State at 11:30 a.m. at Cardinale Stadium.