Dominguez Hills Soccer Teams Keep Cano on the Run : Colleges: Toro coach, who guides the men’s and women’s programs, has high expectations for both teams.

During the fall semester, Cal State Dominguez Hills soccer Coach Marine Cano needs 48 hours in a day.

The reason: Cano not only coaches the men’s team, but the women’s team too.

Cano’s job is doubly tough this year. Only four players return to the men’s team and only two of those were starters.

But Cano said this is the hardest working team he has been associated with at Dominguez Hills.

“The players are all fighting hard for jobs,” Cano said.

Newcomer Gerardo Yepez, a junior forward with speed and quickness, has been a surprise to Cano.

Mike Hall, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound freshman forward from Simi Valley, is also being counted on by Cano, who compares the build of Hall to a “fire hydrant.”

Keith Martin, a freshman defender, is expected to see playing time at midfield. Martin assisted on Yepez’s overtime goal that gave the Toros a 1-0 victory in their opener against San Francisco State.

Sophomore Erick Miseroy has emerged as the starting goalkeeper. According to Cano, Miseroy gained valuable experience during the summer.

Cano said that Cal State Bakersfield and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo will be favored to win the California Collegiate Athletic Assn., which begins play Oct. 2.

Both teams return several quality players. Cano says Dominguez will be the surprise team in the CCAA.

The Dominguez women’s team has nine players returning. It is ranked No. 2 among West Coast teams.

Amy Rubin, who scored 19 goals for Dominguez Hills last season, is the offensive leader. The junior forward from Hawthorne started quickly, scoring three times in the Toros’ first three games, all victories.

Freshman Staci Blough, a sophomore from Simi Valley, had a hat trick against San Francisco State in the opener, scoring three goals. Cano expects she will score 15-16 goals this season.

“Staci has an eye for the goal,” said Cano, and when she sees the opportunity to score, she “doesn’t mess around.”

Center-halfback Jennifer Grasso should also provide offensive punch for the Toros. Cano believes Grasso can score between 10-12 goals.

Jennifer Womack, a sophomore transfer from U.S. International University in San Diego, should make an immediate contribution, according to Cano.

In Blough, Rubin, Grasso and Womack, Cano said he has “the four best players in (NCAA) Division II,” and that any of the four could play in Division I.

Cano has entrusted the job of protecting the Toro net to sophomore Briana O’Dowd.

O’Dowd, who played “tremendously” as a freshman, and the other goaltenders will “take us as far as we go,” Cano said. O’Dowd has not allowed a goal in regulation play the past seven games over two seasons.

Although he has coached both teams for more than five seasons, Cano said that his job has actually become more difficult as the quality of his teams improved.

“This is the busiest time of my life,” said Cano, who added that paperwork and other administrative duties take up over 60% of his time.