Box Score




NAMPA, Idaho — The Crusaders clung to the lead as long as they could, but in the end, Cal State Dominguez Hills found a way to spoil Northwest Nazarene's day.

Ebu Camara scored early, Ryan Foo made a spectacular diving save late, but it just wasn't enough for NNU, which fell, 2-1, to the Toros at Finkbeiner Park on the NNU campus on Thursday.

"Hats off to them, they found a way to come back and win," NNU head coach Joel DeLass said of the Toros, who are two-time NCAA Division II National Champions (2000, 2008).

A pair of goals by Joey Chica in the closing minutes lifted Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-1-1 overall) to the win after NNU (1-1-1-) held the lead for 69 minutes of play.
 

Camara put the Crusaders in front, blasting home his first goal of the young season with exactly 8 minutes gone in the game, finishing off a pass forward from teammate Alex Mitrovic.

And there is sat, 1-0 in favor of the Crusaders, who battled back chance after chance by the Toros until the 78^th minute when a foul at the top of the goal box led to a penalty kick.
Chica took the free chance and booted home the game-tying goal with 12:51 remaining.

That sparked CSU Dominguez Hills, which came on in waves offensively, testing Foo, who finished with nine saves in the contest.

None bigger than a diving save NNU's keeper made on an Emmanuel Corona header with 9 minutes to play that preserved the tie.

But with 6:30 remaining, Chica struck again, finishing off a pass from Corona for the one-goal difference to spoil NNU's day.

"I thought we were a little flat tonight," DeLass said. "We came out and were able to get the goal early, but weren't able to get our soccer going, which was a little frustrating."

The Crusaders get the chance to get their soccer going quickly, though, as they are back in action Saturday hosting Westminster at 5:30 p.m.