SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – In their highest-scoring game in the Pacific West Conference, Vanguard men's soccer ended its road trip with a 3-2 win over Dominican on Saturday at Kennelly Field.
The Blue and Gold would come from behind to take a 2-1 lead with goals from Adan Alvarado and Anthony Medina. The Penguins leveled the score with a free kick in the 81st, but less than two minutes later a glorious move from Sidney Dina and Anthony Hernandez-Perez meant the Lions would claim all three points.
Vanguard's victory (8-3-3, 6-2-2) ensures an unbeaten record on the road for the second straight season. Dominican (7-8-1, 4-6) dropped their final home game of the year but became only the third team this season to score two goals against the Lions.
Ben Sieber had a career-high four shots in the match, with each strike finding the target. Sidney Dina assisted for the second time this season, earning his sixth point. DJ Kiernan created his fourth career assist to place him at five points. Hernandez-Perez's game-winner was the first of his career and now marks the fourth game-winner by a freshman this year.
Vanguard led in shots (18-10) and corner kicks (10-1). The Blue and Gold also produced a conference-high 13 shots on target, forcing DU's Alejandro Reyes into a career-high 10 saves. Lex Bernier netted his second career brace for the Penguins, as he now sits tied for sixth in the conference with six goals.
What Happened?: Aidan Doherty's drilled shot to the top left proved the only dangerous chance for VU in the first half as both teams headed into the break tied 0-0.
Though the Lions outshot the Penguins 15-7 in the second period, it was DU who scored first as a deep ball out of the back created space for Lex Bernier's 54th minute opener. The Lions were hungry to get back into the game, firing six of the next eight shots including efforts from Hernandez Perez, Markus Garcia and Shaun Im.
Dominican conceded in the 67th minute after Sieber waltzed past two players before scorching a shot to the bottom left corner. Though Reyes pounced on the shot, the parry fell for Alvarado, whose slotted finish brought VU back into the contest.
The Lions flipped the game on its head four minutes later after catching Dominican in possession out of the backline. Garcia sparked the move with the initial interception, as the ball was sprayed to Kiernan at the top of the box. The junior cushioned the ball for Medina to make contact and his rifled hit rocketed into the bottom left corner. It was Medina's second career goal and first in the PacWest.
The Penguins grabbed the equalizer through Lex Bernier in the 81st minute, as a free kick at the edge of the box took a heavy deflection off the VU wall to brush it past Aidan Hay.
However, the game's late drama would not end there, as inside two minutes from the restart Vanguard found the winner. Dina dribbled across the middle of the pitch to drag the attention of the DU midfield. The junior then placed his left-footed pass through the heart of the defense and into the run of Hernandez-Perez. The emphatic strike came from the left side of the penalty area, as Hernandez-Perez won the game with his second career goal.
What's Next? The Blue and Gold will end their inaugural season in the PacWest at home as they face CUI on Thursday, November 7 at 11:30 a.m.
