Fight Erupts at Titan Soccer Game

Tempers flared and a fight broke out between opposing players with about 11 minutes left in the Cal State Fullerton-Cal State Dominguez Hills soccer game Sunday at Titan Stadium.

Witnesses said the brawl began after Titan forward Duncan Oughton was taken down by a Dominguez Hills player. The referee ruled that Oughton was fouled inside the penalty box, and the Titans were awarded a penalty kick on the play.

Dominguez Hills players protested the call, and a scuffle, involving some shoving and kicking as well as punches, followed.

A few fans started onto the field at the time of the fight, according to the witnesses, but security officials and university police restored order. A spokesman at the Cal State Fullerton police department said Sunday night that, to his knowledge, no arrests were made.

One player from each team was ejected from the game. Marco Mesrobian of Fullerton and Juan Carlos Bolanos of Dominguez Hills were given red cards, which forced them to sit out the remainder of Sunday’s game as well as the next game their teams play.

Mel Franks, an athletic department spokesman, said it appeared no players were injured as a result of the incident.

Fullerton won the game, 3-2, and was leading by that score at the time of the incident. The victory gave Fullerton a 7-0 record, the school’s best start as a Division I soccer program.

“We thought it was a cheap shot against Oughton,” Titan goalkeeper Scott Alexander said. “When Duncan was down, some Dominguez Hills players kicked him. After that, Mesrobian retaliated against some of their players. I think the referees let it get out of hand.”