BOX SCORE

ROHNERT PARK, Calif- Elena Catania gave Sonoma State the 1-0 lead just 19:55 into the match and Alexis Sciacqua made five clutch saves to help the Seawolves to a narrow 1-0 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills on Sunday at the Seawolf Soccer Field. SSU improves to 6-5-1 overall and, with the victory and a Chico State loss on Sunday, Sonoma State moves into first place in the CCAA North Division standings at 6-3-1 (19 points), holding a two-point lead over Chico State. The Toros fall to 6-5-1 and 4-5-1 in conference play.

It is the first win for the Seawolves over the Toros since 2002, snapping a string of nine matches dating back to 2002. Sonoma State hadn't beat Cal State Dominguez Hills at home in Rohnert Park since 1998.

"This was a big emotional win for our team," SSU head coach Emiria Salzmann said. "To rebound from a tough loss on Friday and win against a very good, physical team on Sunday says a lot about the character of our team. We haven't beaten Cal State Dominguez Hills since 2002 so the victory is also very special for our seniors."

The Seawolves were outshot by the Toros, 12-11, in the match, including 10 attempts off the foot of Jessica Murphy. Five of her 10 shots were on goal, but Sciacqua made several diving stops to earn her eighth career shutout and fifth of the season.

Cal State Dominguez Hills was given the ultimate opportunity to take the first lead of the match at the 6:38 mark. Jessica Murphy was fouled in the box on a Toro attack, therefore was awarded a penalty kick. Murphy fired it to the left of Sciacqua, but Sciacqua needed to take just one step to her left to make the stop. The ensuing rebound off Sciacqua's stop bounced out in front of her, but before the Toros could corral the rebound and make another attempt on goal, Sciacqua jumped out to snag the loose ball.

It was the Seawolves that scored the first goal, thanks to Catania's first score of the season. It was the result of a cross by Megan Foy, which Catania controlled at the top of the box. She then blasted a shot that glanced off the hands of CSUDH keeper Tiffany Hollis, which then bounced off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net for the Sonoma State 1-0 lead.

At the 38:34 mark, Scaicqua again came up huge, making a diving one-handed save to her left on a sure goal by Cal State Dominguez Hills' Murphy. The ball redirected beyond the end line, but the Toros' corner kick was defended by Sonoma State and cleared.

When the 45-minute buzzer sounded, Cal State Dominguez Hills led the match in shots, 7-6, with Murphy attempting all seven for the Toros, but the Seawolves held a one goal lead at 1-0.

It was a back and forth match in the second half as both teams fired five shots apiece. It was the play of Sciacqua, though, that helped keep the Toros off the scoreboard. She made two more saves in the second half, one off the foot of Murphy and another off the foot of Colleen McNamee. When all was said and done and the final buzzer went off, Sonoma State snapped the nine-match winless streak to the Toros with the 1-0 win.

For the Seawolves, Taylor Colacion attempted four shots, Ashley Martin fired three and Megan Cunningham blasted two.

Sonoma State will now play their next four matches on the road, starting with a match at Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday. First kick in Seaside is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. With four of their last six matches on the road, the Seawolves will not return home until the final weekend of the regular season on Oct. 28 when they host Cal State Stanislaus.