Box Score

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SAN FRANCISCO – The University of San Francisco men's soccer team came back twice in the first half against the Cal Bears, erasing a goal deficit each time to tie the game.  However, the Dons could not overcome a Bears goal in the 82^nd minute and lost, 3-2, in a non-conference match on Sunday night at Negoesco Stadium. 
 
USF dropped its record to 1-7-0, with four of those losses coming against top-25 teams.  Cal improved its record to 4-2-0. 
 
Less than a minute into the match, USF turned the ball over, leading to a Cal chance in the box where Dons defender Noah Leong fouled Cal's Spencer Held.  The foul resulted in a penalty kick for the Bears. 
 
On the penalty kick, Cal's Jose Carrera-Garcia did a panenka, giving a subtle touch underneath the ball, rising the ball and dropping it past Dons goalkeeper Ruben Stuiver to put the Bears up, 1-0, just 48 seconds into the match.
 
In the fifth minute, USF got the equalizer from Santiago Diguiseepe off a header pass from Bryce Kaminski inside the box.  It was Digiuseppe's second goal of the season. 
 
After a Cal goal in the 11^th minute by Shinya Kadono, USF would answer back one more time in the 19^th minute when Kaminski found the back of the net on a low cross by Sean Bowman to tie the game up, 2-2. 
 
The match settled down after seeing four combined goals scored in the first 19 minutes until Cal's Kadono struck for the second time in the match.  Kadono beat a Dons defender one-on-one and slotted a goal with his left foot for the game-winner, putting Cal up, 3-2. 

STATS OF THE GAME

• San Francisco outshot Cal for the game 12-to-7, including advantages in both halves.  USF had six shots each half compared to four for Cal in the first half and three in the second half. 
• The Dons also had the advantage in corner kicks, 6-0.    
• It was a very physical match resulting in 14 fouls for USF compared to eight for Cal. 

COACH'S QUOTE
 
Dons head coach Eddie Soto on the first half comebacks:
 
"It was the same problems we've had all season long, giving up a goal early in the game.  It's something we've worked on, having a good start but we put ourselves behind the eight ball.  The players did a good job coming back but we gave up the second goal on a set piece and we had to come back twice to tie the game.  The amount of chances that we create, the amount of possessions we have, the amount of run up play we have, and we have nothing to show for.  It's really, really, heartbreaking.  The players are feeling it and I'm feeling it with them.  This one hurts."
 
WHAT'S NEXT

USF hosts San José State on on Friday, September 22 at 7:00 p.m.
 
Tickets for Friday's contest can be purchased online at the Dons Ticket Central or at the box office at the gate.