The Dominican University men's soccer team scored a pair of first half goals in a 2-1 win over the visiting Benedictine University Eagles on Wednesday afternoon at West Campus Field.  The win improves the Stars overall record to 7-3-0, including a 4-1-0 mark in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) play.
 
"Our guys really grinded to get this win today," said Erick Baumann, the Stars' head men's soccer coach. "I hope this team effort is something we can now build on to get things going in the direction we need them to go."
 
The Stars set the tone early when Isaac Perez's free kick was stopped by Benedictine's Shawn Chervets but the rebound went right to Alexander Lulek who knocked in the game's first goal and his third of the season.
 
Playing with the wind, Dominican continued to press forward throughout the first half, breaking through for what proved to be the game-winner in the 31^st minute when Perez slipped a pass through the Benedictine back line for Mateusz Pasula who blasted a shot to the near post to beat Chervets.
 
In total, the Stars outshot the Eagles 7-3 over the opening 45, putting the pressure on Benedictine's back line and keeping the Eagles out of the attacking third.
 
Both teams pressed forward in the second half, with the Eagles looking to cut into the Dominican lead and Dominican looking to add to its lead.  The Stars put a pair of shots just over the crossbar throughout the first ten minutes of the half before Benedictine managed to put a goal on the board in the 60^th minute of play when Lukasz Sulka played the endline for Yair Ortega who chipped a ball into the six-yard box when Hayden Van Son used his 6'6-frame to head home his fifth goal of the season at the back post.
 
Dominican had a couple of chances to add insurance goals, but Josh Prindle's header went over the crossbar in the 69^th minute and Chervets stopped Ethan Grosam's volley shot in the 78^th minute before Dominican managed the clock over the final ten minutes.
 
Daniel Dominguez picked up the win in goal for Dominican, making five saves as Dominican outshot the Eagles 16-10 with both teams putting six shots on frame.
 
The Stars will return to the West Campus pitch in River Forest on Saturday, hosting the Concordia University Wisconsin Falcons for a 2:45 p.m. kickoff.