SAN FRANCISCO – The opening 45 minutes yielded little offense as the two teams combined just eight shots.  However, in front of a raucous opening day crowd, the second half proved to be much different as the University of San Francisco men's soccer team and CSUN combined to score five second-half goals – three by the home team as the Dons came out on top 3-2 at Negoesco Stadium.
 
CSUN (0-1-0) broke the stalemate in the 50^th minute when Wolfgang Prentice took a feed from Andrew Rizeq and Jumoke Hutton and beat Dons' keeper Ruben Stuiver with a lob.
 
USF (1-0-0) did not wait long for the equalizer as Santiago Digiuseppe scored the first of his two second half goals to get the Dons on the board.  In the 54^th minute Digiuseppe connected off a free kick from the right half of the field to briefly tie the game at one. 
 
Eight minutes later it was Digiuseppe again, this time taking a cross from Sando Bradara in the box to beat the Matadors' keeper for his second goal of the evening. 
 
The flurry of goals didn't end there.  The Matadors tied the game up in the 75^th minute on a goal scored by Khalid Hunter.  Hunter took the rebound off a shot by teammate Daniel Trejo. 
 
Six minutes later the Dons capped off the scoring for the night when senior Sean Bowman notched his first goal of the season, a game-winning goal in the 81^st minute.  Bowman took a cross from Harrison Kepp that just got past the keeper, allowing a wide open look for Bowman to find the back of the net.
 
Stuiver (1-0) earned the win, finishing the night with one save.  Marcus Simmons was busy for the Dons, tallying four shots with three on goal in his debut in the green and gold.
 
COACH'S QUOTE

Post Game 🎬 | HC Eddie Soto gives us his thoughts on the #Dons 2-1 win over #CSUN to open the 2018 campaign. #changemakers #USFDons pic.twitter.com/RieUIRRCtT

— USF Men's Soccer (@USFDonsMSoccer) August 25, 2018

 
GAME NOTES

• The three second-half goals by USF marks the second-straight year the Dons have scored three goals in their opener.  Most since USF tallied four to begin the year in 2009.
• The brace by Digiuseppe gives him 13 career goals. He scored a career-high six goals last season.
• Bowman's game winning goal in the 81^st minute was the seventh of his career.  The native of Bothell, Wash., now has 16 career goals.

 
UP NEXT
The Dons return to action on Sunday afternoon when USF hosts San Diego State.  The Dons and Aztecs will play the second half of a twin billing kicking off at approximately 3:00 p.m., following the women's game against Harvard which starts at 12:30 p.m.  Sunday's game will feature Coke floats before and the men's and women's games.