After falling behind 2-0 in the first half, the Dominican University Stars scored five unanswered goals, including a hat-trick for sophomore Nicolo Vitale to lift the Stars past the Principia College Panthers on Friday afternoon at Dominican's West Campus Field.
 
Trailing 2-1 at the half, the Stars completely dominated possession in the second half, pressing forward and outshooting the Panthers 15-0 over the final 45 minutes.  Dominican eventually netted the equalizer in the 59^th minute of play when Isaac Perez set up Jonathan Arzeta with a pass out near midfield that sent Arzeta on a breakaway for his first tally of the season.
 
In the 68^th minute, Vitale tapped in Nestor Ascencio's corner kick service near the back post for what proved to the game-winning goal.
 
After Denis Soldo added an insurance goal in the 73^rd minute, Vitale finished off his first collegiate hat-trick in 89^th minute with a low shot from 12-yards out after Perez and Arzeta strung together a couple of nice passes to get Dominican deep into the attacking third.
 
Arzeta finished with a goal and a pair of assists while Perez had a pair of assists of his own.
 
"Our second half execution of what we needed to do with and without the ball was the difference today," commented Erick Baumann, the Stars' 23^rd-year head coach. "Four of our five goals came off our bench and they really help ignite things in the final third for us."
 
The Stars, now 1-0-0 on the season, return to the West Campus pitch on Sunday, hosting the Fontbonne University Griffins for a 12:00 p.m. kickoff.