LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s men's soccer team was unable to preserve its share of the California Collegiate Athletic Association South Division lead.

 

The Golden Eagles lost their third straight match, falling to Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2-1, Sunday at Jesse Owens Track. Cal State L.A. (9-5-2, 7-3 CCAA) now trails Cal State Dominguez Hills (12-3, 8-2 CCAA) by three points in the South Division.

 

Both teams finished with 10 shots each in a physical and evenly-played contest. The Toros were able to avenge an earlier 2-1 loss to Cal State L.A. in Carson.

 

Mario Guerrero and Julio Madrigal had goals for the Toros, while Patrick Thurston had the lone goal for the Golden Eagles. Madrigal had the game-winner with 10:58 remaining in the game. In the first meeting between the two programs, Cal State L.A.'s Kyle Hewitt had the game-winning goal with less than three minutes to go.

 

Derby Carrillo had three saves for Cal State Dominguez Hills, while Tobias Hummel made four saves for the Golden Eagles.

 

Cal State L.A. had two good chances in the game's first 20 minutes, but came away empty. Morten Marthinsen got the ball to John Massaquoi and Massaquoi's centering pass got to Jason Swope, whose shot was deflected off the right post by a defender for a Cal State L.A. corner kick.

 

Marthinsen headed a long ball from Thurston, but Carrillo was just able to tip it away, again resulting in a Cal State L.A. corner kick.

 

The Toros' first good chance came a few moments later when Jose Serpas received a pass from Hiram Rangel and took a hard shot that went just wide in the 21^st minute.

 

Cal State L.A.'s Aza Gomez stole a clearing attempt and sent in a shot that Carrillo saved with four minutes left in the half and Andrew Marinez had a late attempt for the Toros from a sharp angle that went high and wide of the goal about 30 seconds later.

 

The teams did break though in the second half. Cal State Dominguez Hills took a 1-0 lead in the 58^th minute. Kris Clark got the ball to Guerrero, whose hard shot glanced just off the fingertips of a diving Hummel and into the left corner of the goal.

 

The Golden Eagles got the equalizer less than seven minutes later on a corner kick. Rufino Franco sent the ball into the box, where Thurston went up in a crowd and headed it just inside the left post for his fifth goal of the season.

 

The Golden Eagles pressured after the tying goal. A pass from Marthinsen to Massaquoi right in front of the goal was defended by Carrillo and Massaquoi headed a pass from Marthinsen toward the goal, but Carrillo made the save.

 

The game-winner for the Toros came with an assist from Guerrero. Madrigal drilled a shot from inside the box into the left corner of the goal to give Cal State Dominguez Hills the lead.

 

Cal State L.A. will return to action on Friday with a match at Cal Poly Pomona.