Box Score CARSON, Calif. – Steffen Sauer, Javier Martin, and Arthur Ethel each scored second half goals in Sunday's California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) road tilt with Cal State Dominguez Hills. The host Toros built a 3-0 halftime lead and held on for a 5-3 result behind the hat trick of Aaron Salazar.

CSU Dominguez Hills (8-2-2, 6-2-2 CCAA) netted three goals within a six minute stretch in the first half. Jio Santana opened the scoring with his third goal of the season at the 21:08 mark. Salazar, the team's season leading goal scorer, added two goals shortly thereafter in the 24th and 26th minutes.

Following intermission Cal State East Bay responded as Sauer and Martin each scored their first goals of the season. The two scores happened within 126 seconds of each other and pulled the Pioneers to within one. East Bay rallied but was unable to draw even and played from behind over the final 68 minutes of regulation.

"We had two goals called back that would have made us level, and the next minute we conceded (a goal). Sometimes this is a cruel game. The guys showed a lot of character and determination," said Head Coach Andy Cumbo.

Four goals between the two squads came within a 10-minute span in the second half. CSUDH's Heriberto Ponce pushed the East Bay deficit back to two in the 64th minute. Again the Pioneers responded as Arthur Ethel scored his team leading third goal of the season just 69 seconds later to cut the deficit in half.

Trailing 4-3 with 25 minutes left in regulation East Bay placed four shots in hopes one would force overtime. Chris Lara's shot with just under five minutes left forced the last of three saves from goalkeeper Trey Mitchell. Over the ensuing possession Salazar completed his hat trick and supplied the final blow in this back-and-forth battle.

Cal State Dominguez Hills has scored a CCAA best 26 goals in 10 league games and has scored at least once in all 12 of its matches this year. Salazar is tops among CCAA players with nine goals and nine assists this season. The Toros have won all seven matchups all-time against the Pioneers and have scored three or more goals in each contest.

Cal State East Bay matched its season-high with three goals this season, and has scored five times over its past two games. Pioneers goalkeeper Steven Morgan earned his first start of the year and made five saves.

Cal State East Bay (2-9-1, 2-7-1 CCAA) will be on the road Friday, Oct. 18, against San Francisco State (3-8-1, 2-7-1 CCAA).