HAYWARD, Calif., -- The Cal State East Bay women's soccer team improved to 3-0 on the season after a, 2-1 home win over Dominican University Wednesday afternoon, September 5 at Pioneer Stadium.
 
The Pioneers are off to their best start since joining the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) in 2009 and did it in impressive fashion with a comeback win on Wednesday afternoon.
 
The first half of action was stout defensively as momentum shifted from team to team throughout the period. The teams took a 0-0 tie into the intermission with the Pioneers attempting four shots to just two shots from the Penguins.
 
Dominican opened the second half with a goal by Michelle Li on the assist by Lily Dubuc in the 53rd minute of play. It was the first goal CSUEB allowed this season.
 
But the Pioneers answered with back-to-back goals within a minute to take a lead they would not relinquish.
 
Sophomore Abby Buitrago (San Jose, Calif.) scored her team-leading third goal of the season as she played a perfectly placed pass from senior Eliana Mendoza (Tracy, Calif.) into the back of the net to knot the game at 1-1. Buitrago is tied for the CCAA lead with three goals and six points. For Mendoza, it was her first helper of the 2018 season.
 
Cal State East Bay would claim a 2-1 lead 49 second later as Lauren McDougal (Elk Grove, Calif.) complied her first goal of the season. McDougal knocked in her shot to the right side of the goal after she received an excellent pass from junior Keionna Claypoole (Sacramento, Calif.). For Claypoole it was her assist of the year.
 
The Pioneers held the shot advantage over the Penguins, 9-3 as six of the Pioneers shots came on goal to just two from the visiting Penguins.
 
Senior Savannah Shultz (Folsom, Calif.) and Eliana Mendoza led East Bay with two shots during the match. Abby Buitrago, Lauren McDougal, Keionna Claypoole, Jamie McPherson (San Leandro, Calif.) and Chace Miguel (Hollister, Calif.) all attempted one shot apiece.
 
Freshman goalkeeper Briana Vasquez-Ortiz was lights out in the box for the Pioneers logging all 90 minutes in goal and recording one save for CSUEB.
 
The Pioneers will head to Grand Junction, Colorado for weekend matches against Colorado Mesa (Sept. 6) and Western State (Sept. 9).