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SAN DIEGO - Paul Sweet deliver two huge goals to lift the Point Loma men's soccer team to a 2-1 victory on opening day over Cal State Dominguez Hills.
 
The first came in the 8th minute when Andrew Kleszewski beat the goalkeeper and pushed the ball to streaking Sweet who deposited it into the net for the first score of the season.
 
The Sea Lions started to boss the game for the next 16 minutes until they picked up a red card and went down a man. PLNU continued to hold the lead but momentum started to swing back to the Toros as they were continually on the attack. CSU Dominguez Hills finally broke through in 69th minute when Manuel Paez found Bashiri Smith in front of the net for the score.
 
That score seemed to wake up the Sea Lions, who had been playing lethargic most of the second half. With the extra bounce in their step, PLNU went back on the attack. They got a few free kicks outside the Toros' 18-yard box before getting a corner.
 
Fabian Lueders, who had a free kick denied at the net just a few minutes earlier, took the corner kick and placed it perfectly in front of the net. Sweet rose above the crowd in the middle of the net and headed it past the goalie for the go-ahead goal. Point Loma preceded to fight off a few chances for the Toros and hold on for the victory.
 
Team Records
Point Loma (1-0-0, 0-0-0 PacWest), Cal State Dominguez Hills (0-2-0, 0-0-0 CCAA)
 
The Turning Points
This game had two distinct moments of action. The first came when Matias Rodriguez picked up two yellow cards in a 15-second span to make it 11 on 10 the rest of the way.
 
The second was Sweet's second goal. The Sea Lions were looking like they might have to fight to just earn one point, but the redshirt junior was able to take advantage of the opportunity and bring victory to the Sea Lions.
 
Thoughts from the student-athletes
 

Wolf's Words
On Sweet's performance: "I am really proud of Paul. He is a guy that does what you tell him to and he got to an incredible spot on the first goal. Then he took care of business on that second one."
 
On the last goal: "Fabian is our best server. He took it on his own and said he was going to smash it across. He is a captain and if he feels he wants to take a corner kick he should."
 
On the newcomers: "If I give a player of the match it is to our new guys. We are missing a few guys and for others to step up and perform, it was massive. We are going to need our team to be deep and really good to ground out results."
 
On getting the full result: "Obviously we were up 1-0 and we were hoping to see the game out there but when they go 1-1, you get a 'not so great feeling' but the guys that were left showed some great courage and fought till the end. I am so proud of those guys not to just get a point, but get three points. That was a brilliant performance."
 
On getting back on the field: "Honestly a little part of what happened today was just that the emotions were too high and the excitement was too much and it boiled over today."
 
Scoring Summary
7:09 - PLNU GOAL: Paul Sweet (Andrew Kleszewski) [PLNU 1, CSUDH 0]
68:07 - CSUDHU GOAL: Bashiri Smith (Manuel Paez) [PLNU 1, CSUDH 1]
82:49 - PLNU GOAL: Paul Sweet (Fabian Lueders) [PLNU 2, CSUDH 1]
 
News and Notes
> These were the first two career goals for Sweet
> PLNU has not allowed more than one goal in a match at home since the 2017 season opener (eight matches)
> This was the first collegiate start for Pascal Rodriguez, Adrew Klezewski and Teague Anderson
> This was the second straight season PLNU has won a match playing down a man
> PLNU and CSUDH have faced off in the last six season openers for the Sea Lions (2-3-1)
> The Toros outshot Point Loma 14-8
 
Up Next
The Point Loma men's soccer team will be back in action on Thursday, Sept. 6 when it hosts Western Washington at 4:30 p.m.