COSTA MESA – Women's soccer (1-1) snatched its first win of the 2026 season with a 2-1 win over CSU Dominguez Hills (1-1) Saturday afternoon at VU Soccer Field. The Blue and Gold dominated most of the match with a 14-5 shot lead, but freshman
Jennifer Alvarez grabbed the headlines with a brace to help the Lions take their first win over the Toros in 17 years (Aug. 27, 2009).
What Happened? The Toros nearly struck first after just two minutes played, when VU mishandled a loose ball in the defense, which
Grayton Normand eventually corralled into her grasp. VU responded to the early pressure with a collectively dominant first half, outshooting CSUDH 7-2, despite not finding the back of the net.
Kaylee Cuttress had the first decent look on goal in the 18
th minute after whistling away from a defender and blasting a right-wing shot off the side of the frame.
Aneala Sibayan joined the action two minutes later, trying from the edge of the 18-yard box, but dragging the shot just wide.
Vanguard continued the hunt for the opener, whilst keeping the visitors on the back foot. The movement between VU's midfield three and the frequent checking runs from Alvarez and Cuttress also kept the Lions in charge of the middle of the park. The Blue and Gold sprayed three more shots unanswered, with a free-kick from Alvarez and shots by
Lily Fama and
Naia Kaulukukui before the Toros could find their next opportunity. The visitors managed to find space on the right wing and connected on a dangerous outswinging cross for Normand's first save of the day.
The hosts nearly broke through in the 41
st minute, thanks to sharp work from
Kalena Yamashita and
Mia Ochoa. Yamashita started the play from right back, after winning the ball and gliding past her mark to free up Ochoa. The VU midfielder's cross floated steadily to the near post, where
Hailey Garvin flicked a header off the left post. The narrow miss was the last big chance in a scoreless halftime score.
The 48
th minute brought VU's opener from a free-kick on the left side of the penalty box. Alvarez's second free-kick attempt of the day was golden, as the freshman whipped a beam past the Toro keeper to crease the top right corner and hand VU the 1-0 lead.
The Lions were ravenous after the opener, dumping two shots toward goal just one minute after the restart. It took less than three minutes for Alvarez to have her first career brace, after a ball-win from Sibayan put the Lions through on goal. Alvarez met the ball in the left side of the box, cut it on her right, and flashed square past two Toros before cushioning her finish into the bottom right corner.
At 2-0, Vanguard appeared comfortable, while CSUDH still probed for a chance to crack through the defenses. The Toros managed to stretch the game with a torrent of long balls to test the VU back line. The Lions attempted to punish them on the counterattack, but could not strike on the timing of their runs, leading to four offsides in the second half alone.
The Toro twist came in the 73
rd minute, after a Lion booking and free-kick put their lead in danger. The first Toro cross was eventually headed away by
Audrey Swaniss, but VU could not secure a definitive clearance to push the Toros back. CSUDH's second cross off the loose ball made its way through the Lion defense as Leilani Fortuna-Ramos was one of three free Toro runners who managed to make a connection and put the score at 2-1.
The Lions fought to put the game to bed while the Toros turned up the intensity in the final 10 minutes. They enlisted three strikers to try and mark out the VU defense, but the Lions' game management proved to be just enough to hold the result and provide themselves with their first win of the season.
Alvarez led both teams in shots with four, placing three on target. Cuttress, Sibayan, and Kaulukukui added two shots each. Binstock, Garvin, Fama, and
Avery Hanhauser were the final Lions to register a shot.
What Was Said? "We're very proud of the mentality the team displayed today," shared Head Coach
Emily Reynolds. "They created great chances. Jenny's free kick was excellent and her second goal was just as strong. On to the next."
What's Next? The Blue and Gold welcome CSU San Bernardino on Thursday, September 3 at 1 pm.
