Box Score By Ron Smith
September 4, 2025
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Women's Soccer opened the regular season on the road today, falling to the Toros of Cal State Dominguez Hills by a score of 1-0.
 
"Full transparency – it was not our best showing at all," said Westmont's head coach Lauren Matthias. "We had some very good moments of being composed and finding feet, and then we turned it over. It was kind of a tale of turnovers.
 
"We could not find a rhythm. Dominguez Hills' style is hard to play against. They sit a lot of numbers back and make it hard for you to get around. Then they play a long ball, which, naturally, is going to turn into a lot of 50-50 balls by nature.
 
"On our end, it was a lot of self-inflicted mistakes. It was a frustrating game."
 
The lone goal of the game was scored in the 50th minute.
 
"The goal they scored came from our mistake," reported Matthias. "We lost the ball on the width, then they dribbled around us. The ball ended up at the back post where they scored."
 
Despite the loss, Matthias took note of the play of several Warriors.
 
"I thought Makenna Meyers played really well in the back line. She handled a lot of air balls and she was being really decisive. Madison Ford also had some good air balls that she handled.
 
"Ruby Stimer in the midfield did some really good things like calming us down and connecting the ball and Ellie Gilbert did some good work for us on defense.
 
"We were struggling to pass the ball, but we were able to move some people around. Jane Hotaling came in at outside back and played a lot of minutes there. She did a good job of holding us down defensively. She is an engine and can go. We also moved Amelia to outside back. We thought that we might create some space for her on the flank.
 
"I told the team it came down to the details, which weren't sharp enough today. We just have to learn from it and grow and get one day better. That is the goal for the next two days."
 
On Saturday, the Warriors will host Cal State Los Angeles in their home opener. The game is part of a soccer tripleheader. Before the women's game at 4:00 p.m., there will be two games to conclude the 16th Heritage Club Classic hosted by Westmont Men's Soccer. At 10:00 a.m., Saint Martin's (Wash.) will take on Hawai'i Pacific. Then at 1:15 Westmont will host Simon Fraser (B.C.)