A Repeat of Their Title Feat? : Toro Women Have the Talent to Defend NCAA Division II Championship

Although Marine Cano is accustomed to winning, the Cal State Dominguez Hills women’s soccer coach did not realize what an impact a national title would have on the program.

Dominguez Hills’ 2-1 victory over Sonoma State in the 1991 NCAA Division II title game--the first national championship in school history--has done wonders for the team.

“I’ve noticed in the community that we’ve gotten so much more respect,” said Cano, who has had only one losing season since becoming the Toro coach in 1984. “People are knocking my door down to play here and I can be a little more selective in who I pick to play for us. A lot of people know who we are now. We really crossed a lot of barriers by winning a national championship.”

The new-found respect for the program is evident in a preseason poll by the Intercollegiate Soccer Assn. of America, which ranks Dominguez Hills No. 1 in Division II.

Dominguez Hills returns nine starters, has added two transfers from Sonoma State and has several promising recruits.

But Cano is not about to get caught up in the euphoria. Especially with a difficult opener at UC Santa Barbara, ranked No. 16 in Division I, on Saturday at noon.

“We’re not looking past UC Santa Barbara in our first game,” he said. “We’re looking forward to playing them and defeating them. We’re not looking ahead to anything else. We’ve got a lot of work to do.

“We’ve got to work extra hard because everyone is after us now. In the past, Dominguez Hills was after everyone else, but now the tables have turned.”

But the Toros appear to be as talented as any team in Division II.

“I’m not a fortuneteller but I know we have a lot of talent,” Cano said. “We have a tough schedule at the start of the season and our first few opponents are very rough, but I think we can have a successful season.”

Dominguez Hills expects to be led by three players: senior forward Amy Rubin, senior midfielder Jennifer Grasso and junior goalkeeper Briana O’Dowd.

“I think we’ve got the best forward in the nation (in Division II), we’ve got the best midfielder in the nation and the best goalkeeper in the nation,” Cano said. “That gives us a lot of stability out there and it really helps our program for this season.”

Cano says the Toros’ success starts with O’Dowd, who gave up only 11 goals and had a 0.46 goals-against average in 1991.

“I’m a firm believer that you work from the back and go forward and I believe she’s one of the best in the country right now in any division,” he said. “I don’t think there’s a better goalkeeper in the country if she puts her mind to it.”

Said O’Dowd: “I think I probably have the same philosophy as (Cano) that the goalkeeper is the most important position on the field because without one you can’t win no matter how many goals you score.”

O’Dowd said it also helps to have talented players in front of her.

“I have a lot of confidence in myself and I have a lot of confidence in my defense,” she said. “We didn’t lose anyone on defense and we’re really a close-knit group.”

Grasso was the team’s fourth-leading scorer last season with 20 points on six goals and eight assists. But Cano said her importance to the team goes beyond her scoring.

“She’s our maestro,” he said. “She’s the one who helps us put it all together.”

Rubin has been the team’s leading scorer the past two seasons, including 42 points in 1991. She has scored 19 goals in each of the past two seasons and is the Toros’ career leader in goals with 44 and points with 100.

“I think she’s ready to have another big year for us,” Cano said. “She scored 19 goals last year and there’s no reason why she can’t score at least that many goals this year.”

Cano thinks Rubin’s scoring production will improve even more with the addition of junior forward Teresa Bateman, a junior who transferred from El Camino College.

“She’s very strong and fast and can score goals, and we needed someone like that to give Amy more freedom on the field,” he said. “I really believe that gives us one of the best forward combinations in the country, regardless of division.”

The Toros also return starting midfielders Anna Rubin--Amy’s identical twin who scored 24 points in 1991--and Jennifer Womack and defenders Kerry Bertoldo, Joanna Enserro, Monica Lastrapes and Melissa Fiala.

Cano also has high hopes for a solid freshman class that includes midfielder Anna Klein from Garden Grove Loara High, defender Monica Chavez from Santa Ana Mater Dei and forward Gwen Nakashima from Torrance. Nakashima was a standout for a Torrance squad that won the Southern Section 3-A Division title in 1991.

The transfers from Sonoma State--senior midfielders Tricia Fuller and Jill Henderson--played for the Cossacks in the 1991 Division II title game.

Cano said the team’s attitude will be the biggest factor in defending their title.

“Last year’s attitude was unbelievable and that’s what helped us come together as a team,” Cano said. “I can tell you that right now we’re way ahead of that in terms of work ethic. We still have a ways to go in terms of reaching the level of play that’s going to put us over the top. But the attitude and work ethic are there.”

O’Dowd says the team isn’t dwelling on its success of 1991.

“That’s not even a thought in our mind,” she said. “The first thought is Santa Barbara and that’s the only thing we’re thinking about right now. You’re only as good as your last game, anyway.”

Dominguez Hills Women’s Soccer Schedule

Date Opponent Site Time Saturday UC Santa Barbara Goleta noon Monday San Francisco State San Francisco 11 a.m. Tuesday Chico State Chico, Calif. 3 p.m. Sept. 12 Cal Lutheran Carson noon Sept. 16 Chapman Carson 1 p.m. Sept. 20 San Diego State Carson noon Sept. 23 Cal State San Bernardino San Bernardino 1:30 p.m. Sept. 28 Cal Baptist Carson 3 p.m. Sept. 30 UC San Diego La Jolla 3 p.m. Oct. 3 Cal Poly Pomona Pomona 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7 Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Carson 1:30 p.m. Oct. 10 Chapman University Orange 5:30 p.m. Oct. 12 CS Hayward Hayward, Calif. 2 p.m. Oct. 13 UC Davis Davis, Calif. 1:30 p.m. Oct. 17 Cal State San Bernardino Carson 11 a.m. Oct. 20 UC Irvine Irvine 3 p.m. Oct. 22 Westmont Santa Barbara 3 p.m. Oct. 25 Sonoma State Carson noon Oct. 28 Cal Poly Pomona Carson 1 p.m. Nov. 1 Northern Colorado Carson 1 p.m.