BOX SCORE


BOX SCORE


SEASIDE, Calif. — The Cal State Monterey Bay men's soccer team ended the first season of the Rob Cummings era with a bang, knocking off national title contender Cal State Dominguez Hills 2–0 Sunday afternoon at the Otter Sports Complex.

CSUMB finishes the season at 7-9-1 overall and 7-8-1 in the CCAA with its first–ever win over the Toros. CSUDH heads to the postseason with an 11–4–2 mark (9–4–2 CCAA).

The teams spent the better part of the match trading momentum and possession until CSUMB took control in the final half hour. Junior Max Brixey (Truckee HS) put the Otters ahead with his team leading fifth goal of the season in the 66th minute before freshman midfielder Aaron Kochman (Boise, Id./Centennial HS) buried a pass from Brixey in the 88th minute for his first collegiate goal to seal the win.

“Today's effort was a fitting end to a process that the players bought into from the start,” says Cummings. “They earned this win today and did it against a team that had an awful lot to play for.”

Dominguez Hills entered the match needing a win to secure first place in the CCAA South Division and the No. 1 seed in the CCAA Tournament. Both defenses did well to keep their goalkeepers from danger in the early going until Henry Calistro called Otter senior Sam Campanelli (Palmdale/Highland HS) to action with a golden opportunity in the 34th minute. Campanelli's challenge did enough to thwart the initial chance and the Otter defense cleaned up to prevent any further trouble.

With action oscillating frequently between both ends of the pitch, Brixey drew first blood by turning and firing a shot headed for the lower right corner of the Toro goal. Goalkeeper Markus Dickerson used every inch of his 6–4 frame to deflect the ball off the post, but he couldn't stop it from caroming in to put the Otters in front.

With the Toros frenetically pushing forward for the equalizer, the Otters sealed the match on the counter with time winding down. Brixey took a ball down the right flank and to the right edge of the Dominguez Hills penalty area. He sent a low cross into the goal mouth and Kochman willed the ball in from point blank range to take the drama out of the final 134 seconds.

“This weekend was a great sendoff to the seniors,” says Cummings. “We competed on an even field with two of the nation's top teams. I've told the boys from the beginning, 'it's how you finish that matters.' This is what we will take into the spring and what will be our springboard into next season.”



Cal State Monterey Bay 2, Cal State Dominguez Hills 0


Goals by period       1  2  Tot
-------------------------------
CSU Dominguez Hills.  0  0 -  0
CSU Monterey Bay....  0  2 -  2

SCORING SUMMARY:
  1.  65:43 CSUMB Max Brixey (5) (Julian Salas) - Off GK and post
  2.  87:46 CSUMB Aaron Kochman (1) (Max Brixey) - Short cross to goalmouth

Shots: CSUDH 9, CSUMB 12
Saves: CSUDH 6 (Markus Dickerson 6), CSUMB 2 (Sam Campanelli 2)