Dominguez’s two goals lift Costa Mesa over Hillcrest

Sports can be so much more than just a game.

They can serve as a catalyst to help an individual in multiple facets of their life.

Soccer did just that for Costa Mesa High’s Rafael Dominguez. He missed his sophomore season because he was ruled academically ineligible.

Dominguez missed the game, and he was determined to get back on the field. He has returned to the Mustangs’ lineup as a junior, and he led Costa Mesa in its 3-0 victory over visiting Riverside Hillcrest in a nonleague boys’ soccer game on Friday night.

“Last year, I had a bad year,” Dominguez said. “I just wasn’t working on my stuff. This year, I had to make sure to come back stronger. I love this sport, and I like to ball, so I put in the work in class, and that’s how I am here now.”

Dominguez has helped the Mustangs go 7-2-0 in nonleague play. Costa Mesa is playing well in coach Jason Boyce’s first season in charge of the program.

Dominguez scored the first two goals of the match. He opened the scoring in the 20th minute, depositing a shot off his right foot just inside the left post on the short side. The Mustangs used some trickery on the set piece, lining up three potential ball-strikers behind the ball. Dominguez took the shot after Luis Anaya ran past the ball.

The game settled down with few shots taken for an extended period. As the clock ticked on into the latter stages, the Mustangs were able to get deeper into Hillcrest (6-3-2) territory.

Pablo Martinez got control of a ball inside of the box. He showcased his strength in maintaining possession of the ball with a defender on his back. He left the ball for Dominguez, who dribbled around two more defenders to set himself up for an easy finish in front of the goal.

Costa Mesa took a 2-0 lead on the play, which came in the 62^nd minute.

Dominguez would have multiple bids for a third goal, connecting with both goal posts on a pair of left-footed efforts.

“They always tell you work with both feet,” Dominguez said. “Coaches like to see that, so I put in work. I got unlucky with those two shots.”

The Mustangs added a third goal in the 78^th minute on a long-range shot from Anaya. Eddy Martinez drew the assist.

Boyce implored his team to be the aggressor, insisting that his players attempt to take touches away from the opposing team. It helped limit the Trojans to four shots on goal, the most dangerous of which came early on in the seventh minute when sophomore goalkeeper Walter Olmedo stopped a rising shot from Angel Fernandez.

“Taking someone’s touch away from them is huge,” Boyce said. “That’s anticipating what you’re going to do before the ball gets to you or the other player.

“All the movement off the ball, those things make a difference. It’s the difference between them starting a counterattack or us starting the attack.”

Costa Mesa posted a shutout victory for the fifth time this season. Olmedo said that there has been a regression in the number of shots he has faced this year.

“We have more clean sheets this year because our defense is amazing this year,” he said. “Everyone is comfortable in the back. Barely any shots are taken during the game.”

Costa Mesa begins Orange Coast League play with a home game against Calvary Chapel on Wednesday at 5:15 p.m.

andrew.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner