COLLEGE NOTES : Dominguez Hills Able to Get Badly Needed Soccer Win

Cal State Dominguez Hills got a badly needed victory in men’s soccer, defeating Cal Poly Pomona, 2-1, Saturday in Pomona for its first California Collegiate Athletic Assn. win. The Toros’ Mark Merino scored both Dominguez Hills goals, breaking a 1-1 tie in the 78th minute for the game-winner.

The Toros, defending co-champs of the CCAA, improved to 1-2-1 in the CCAA and 7-5-1 overall. Merino gave them a 1-0 lead 29 minutes into the game on a header off a pass from Rick McKaig. Pomona’s Doug Bear tied the game shortly before halftime, knocking in a rebound. Merino’s game-winner came off a pass from Rich Galbaldon. Merino has four goals this season.

Pomona fell to 0-4 in the CCAA and 2-10-1 overall.

The Toros resume CCAA play Wednesday night at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

The second-rated Dominguez Hills women’s soccer team, 13-1, plays at home today against unbeaten UC San Diego, the top-ranked team in Division III.

Loyola Marymount had a tough day in the opener of the Bruin Water Polo Invitational at UCLA, dropping its first game to UC San Diego 17-3, then falling later to Air Force, 11-9. The losses dropped the Lions’ season record to 6-6 going into today’s action, when they face Claremont Mudd Scripps at 11 a.m. and UCLA at 3:30 in the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center. Air Force leads the six-team pack after one day at 2-0. UCLA is 2-1.

Loyola’s cross-country teams competed in a four-way meet in San Diego, where the Lion men placed third and the women fourth. Running a 5-kilometer course in Balboa Park, the men’s scores were: Redlands 31, Biola 68, Loyola 77, University of San Diego 94. The women’s scores: Biola 33, San Diego 37, Redlands 63, Loyola 100. The top Lions runner, Mike Thom, placed 11th in 16:55, about a minute off the lead. Tim Feeley was 13th in 17:00. Amy Martin was the Lions’ best in the women’s race, finishing 15th in 22:35.