ARCATA – A goal in the final minute of regulation sunk the Humboldt State Men's soccer team's hope of a weekend sweep over top-level opponents.  The Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros got a goal with just 21 seconds left to down the Jacks 2-1 in Redwood Bowl on Sunday.  The win improves CSUDH's record to 8-5-1, 7-4-1 in California Collegiate Athletic Association action while HSU falls to 3-9-2, 2-7-1 in conference play.

With the score tied at 1-1 and the two teams battling down the stretch, the match appearing to be headed for overtime.  But with 21 seconds left in regulation, a CSUDH forward crossed the ball, it glanced off a Jacks defender and went to the far post where Scott Mariano was waiting.  He tapped it under Jacks keeper David Zwick for the winning tally and Cal State Dominguez Hills escaped with a 2-1 result.

The sides played to a scoreless tie in the first 45 minutes.  The Toros out shot HSU 8-4 in the period and from the 14th minute until the 36th minute reeled off seven unanswered shots in an offense of disciplined passing and possession.  But for the last 10 minutes of the first half the match belonged to the Jacks. 

Roland Demombynes had two good opportunities on headers in the box.  In the 41st minute he took a cross and headed it to the near post, but Toros' keeper Markus Dickerson made a save to preserve the tie and at the 41:09 mark Demombynes headed a ball wide left.

Cal State Dominguez Hills got on the board in the 58th minute.  Kevin Gallaugher headed a ball the Jacks' keeper David Zwick blocked but didn't control.  The rebound came out six yards where Andrew Marinez jumped on it and knocked home, to the near post, for a 1-0 Toros lead.

At the 75:43 mark the Jacks go the equalizer.  Demombynes, who had been involved in the play all day, got free on an HSU set piece.  Tony Ramirez took the shot from just outside the 18 and Demombynes headed it low to the far post and tied the match at 1-1.

Barely three minutes later Josh Suggs, who led the Lumberjack offense with four of its 11 total shots, streaked down the left sideline with the ball and centered it.  Demombynes dove flat out to head the ball in, but it snuck by his head by no more than inches, denying HSU the go ahead score.

“Roland had a very good day, but a lot of credit also has to go to Tony (Ramirez),” said head coach Christian Johnson.  “He is showing to the ball, collecting it and dishing it back off.  Lloyd Sinclair, at center mid, has been a great move for us and  (Brandon) Perrier has also played solid minutes as well.  This progression has been the result of the hard work of the collective group.”

For Demombynes, it was his second goal of the season and the assist was Ramirez's third.  Zwick, making his first start in a Lumberjack uniform, made six saves and allowed two goal in the loss.

“It is encouraging to see things turning around and tactically they are doing what we are asking of them,” Johnson added.  “We may only be 2-2 in the last four games, but in looking back there are really only 15 minutes where we actually made any mistakes over those four matches.  As a whole this was a great weekend.  We beat the No. 1 team in the country and were it not for a goal in the last 30 seconds, we nearly took the defending national champions to overtime.  The fact that we played with them and at times had the run of play and had some quality opportunities, is great.  The progression of things from a tactical and technical point of view is very gratifying to see.

“On the defense, the back four have played mistake free for the past two games.  I'm encouraged and hope we can build off of what I have seen this weekend.  Zwick dropped the ball on the first goal, but other than that his play was very solid.  He made a couple of big time saves and I was very happy with his play today.”

The Lumberjacks head out on the road for their next four matches.  On Friday, Oct. 16 they will be at San Francisco State for a 12:30 kickoff and on Sunday it is a 2 p.m. start at Cal State Monterey Bay.

CSU Dominguez Hills (8-5-1, 7-4-1) vs. Lumberjacks (3-9-2, 2-7-1)
Date: Oct 11, 2009 Attendance: 150
Weather: cloudy
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
CSU Dominguez Hills. 0 2 - 2
Lumberjacks......... 0 1 - 1
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 57:21 CSUDH MARINEZ, Andrew (unassisted) - Marinez takes lose rebound from 6 yards and puts it in
2. 75:43 HSU DEMOMBYNES, Roland (2) (RAMIREZ, Tony) - off a set piece Demombynes headed a shot to low
3. 89:33 CSUDH MARIANO, Scott (unassisted) - cross to back post Mariano taps it under keeper
Shots: CSU Dominguez Hills 17, Lumberjacks 11
Saves: CSU Dominguez Hills 5 (DICKERSON, Markus 5), Lumberjacks 6
(ZWICK, David 6)