The Dominican University men's soccer team stayed unbeaten on the 2018, overcoming a 1-0 halftime deficit in a 3-1 win over the Elmhurst College Bluejays on Saturday night.  With the win the Stars improve to 3-0-0 on the season with a non-conference matchup with North Central College on tap for Wednesday.
 
"We didn't play with discipline tonight and it cost us a goal against in the first half," said Dominican University head coach Erick Baumann following the win. "We weren't sharp throughout the match but our intensity in the second half made the difference. Vitale got it going and the guys responded."
 
Elmhurst's Josh Arvidson opened the scoring in the 40^th minute, knocking in his first goal of the season.  The Bluejays earned back-to-back corner kicks with #Michael Delaney# staving off the game's first goal when he headed away a ball headed to the back post. Elmhurst capitalized on its subsequent corner after #Daniel Dominguez# made a point-blank save before Arvidson hammered home the rebound.
 
Elmhurst carried the lead into the second half until Nico Vitale was able to level the score in the 57^th minute of play. Benji Ibarra beat an Elmhurst defender to a 50-50 ball along the left sideline, poking a pass to Isaac Perez who one one-touched service into the box where Vitale knocked in the equalizer.  For Vitale it was the second goal of the season.
 
Five minutes later, Vitale pressured deep in the attacking third, forcing a turnover along the right flank.  #Alex Lulek# then headed a pass over the Elmhurst backline where Perez took one-touch around a defender before firing a shot inside the far post to give the Stars a 2-1 lead.
 
Elmhurst got forward in the 65^th minute with a Dominican foul along the right sideline giving the Bluejays a restart in the attacking third.  On the restart, Elmhurst's Matt McNamara got behind, forcing Dominguez to come off his line to make a huge save to preserve the one-goal advantage.
 
Perez then created some breathing room in the 80^th minute, adding an insurance tally after Vitale beat a defender to the endline, keeping a bouncing ball in play before holding and laying a pass to Perez who beat the keeper to the near post from 11 yards out.
 
For the Stars, Perez finished the night with two goals and an assist on three shots while Vitale recorded a goal and an assist.
 
Dominguez was forced to make six saves despite shots in favor of Dominican, 16-15, while his counterpart, Elmhurst's Donnie Kvien, logged five saves.