By: Hope Hensley
August 27, 2026
CARSON, Calif. — The Westmont Warriors controlled the run of play and dictated the tempo for nearly 90 minutes on Thursday night, but a late second-half breakdown handed Westmont a tough 1–0 setback against Cal State Dominguez Hills at Toro Stadium.
Despite coming away empty-handed in their 2026 season opener, the Warriors held a distinct advantage across the stat sheet. Westmont controlled 58% of the match's total possession, outshot the Toros 12–5 (5–2 on target), and earned a 6–2 edge in corner kicks.
Dominating the Flanks Early
Westmont established an aggressive game plan right from the opening whistle, specifically targeting the outsides to break down the Toros' defensive shape.
"We kind of anticipated their defensive shape and how they sit in a low, tight block—really tight in the middle—so we knew we'd have to get around the outsides on the flanks," said Westmont Head Coach Lauren Matthias. "That was a big focus of our game plan, trying to get the ball into the flank spaces more."
Forward Skyler McNamara was a primary catalyst up front, firing five total shots in her 41 minutes on the pitch and testing Toros starting goalkeeper Berlin Alcala with two early saves in the 8th and 14th minutes. Midfielder Ruby Stimer anchored the attack from the middle, recording three shots—including a strike on target in the 28th minute—while orchestrating play over 84 minutes.
"I thought those three [Ruby, Vanessa, and Skyler] were really fantastic for us getting the ball into those flank spaces and other dangerous areas," Matthias noted. "A lot of things Ruby did really well were off the ball with her movement. Skyler played really quick... credit to all of our girls, they played really fast."
Second-Half Drama and Late Stunner
Westmont continued to press after halftime, using variety from the wide spaces to disorganize CSUDH. The match reached a fever pitch in the 79th minute when a Warrior foul in the box gave CSUDH a penalty kick. However, Toro midfielder Cynthia Ramirez sent her attempt wide.
The Warriors instantly turned the defensive stop into a high-speed counter-attack. Defender Vanessa Alcala—who played the full 90 minutes alongside backline anchors Madison Ford and Daniella Coyle—joined the rush and ripped back-to-back shots on target seconds later. Toros second-half goalkeeper Marlies Nauman produced two quick saves to keep Westmont off the board.
"Right after [the PK miss], we felt momentum swing a bit in our favor off those quick attacks. I felt like we were really precise on the counters," Matthias recalled. "You could kind of feel that momentum shift quite a bit... so when the other goal came, it was a little bit of a stop-in-the-heart type of feeling."
Just three minutes later, in the 82nd minute (81:44), CSUDH caught space on a transition attack as Alexis Delgado converted a pass from Ramirez to net the game's lone goal. Goalkeeper Ellie Ludwig went the full 90 minutes in goal for Westmont, recording one save.
Coach Matthias on the Message to the Team & Protecting Home Turf
On digesting the tough result despite execution:
"It was kind of a heartbreaker in a sense, and you could see it on all of our players' faces. But I gave a lot of credit to our girls that they executed the game plan we had going into the game... for essentially 89 minutes. In soccer, that's all it takes—you can dominate in the stats and still lose a game. As frustrating as it was, I was very happy with the execution, the fight, the grit. Our girls handled their physicality well, kept their calm, and stayed composed."
On the focus heading into Saturday's home opener:
"The big takeaway was the execution piece in and around the final third. We've got to learn from it, be a little more threatening, and turn around Saturday to make those corrections to get the ball in the back of the net. Thankfully, we're really blessed to have an amazing facility at home. There's a pride that comes with being on our home turf, to defend your home field and protect your house. That's a big motivator to show well in front of our home fans."
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