Cal Poly ends drought and beats UCSB in first leg of Blue-Green Rivalry

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Senior defender Nate Colley's 12th-minute header and sophomore midfielder Diego Guerra's 71st-minute penalty marked the difference Saturday afternoon as the Cal Poly men's soccer program, in front of 9,657 fans – the largest NCAA crowd figure this season by more than 3,000 spectators – delivered a 2-0, Blue-Green rivalry triumph against #13 UC Santa Barbara at Mustang Memorial Field at Spanos Stadium.
 
Junior goalkeeper Nicky McCune was called upon to make just one first-half save and Cal Poly (3-3-3) limited UC Santa Barbara (6-2-1) to just four shot attempts as the Mustangs produced their first rivalry win against the Gauchos since 2018.
 
Undefeated and without a goal conceded in three home matches this season, Cal Poly's Saturday victory was its first against a ranked foe since a 2-1 decision against No. 24 Loyola Marymount (Sept. 26, 2019).
 
Saturday's attendance of 9,657 supporters marked the 32nd largest regular season crowd figure in NCAA history.
 
"We're really excited for the players," second-year Cal Poly head coach Oige Kennedy said. "We see how hard they work and how committed they are to the process of competing at their highest level each and every day. So, for them, I'm really pleased.

"The support is always so special. To have what, has to be, one of the biggest sporting events on the Central Coast here at Cal Poly is amazing. [The crowd] really provided that 12th player today and their energy and support is second to none in the country."

"We picked the wrong team and location to play our worst game of the season," said UCSB head coach Tim Vom Steeg . "Our team failed to realize that a game at Cal Poly is less about soccer and more about your effort and we were simply outworked today. Hopefully that is a lesson that we will learn, since conference starts next Wednesday."

UCSB hosts UC San Diego at 7pm on October 2 in the Gauchos Big West opener.

Saturday's matchup was scheduled as a non-conference meeting with the countable game in the Big West table against the Gauchos set for Sunday, Oct. 6 at UC Santa Barbara's Harder Stadium. In between, Cal Poly opens Big West play at UC Davis on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

"We cannot wait to get on the road now with conference play starting," Kennedy added. "Today is a great day for the program, but the real business at hand starts Wednesday against another top team in UC Davis."

McCune made his first and only save of Saturday in the fifth minute and Cal Poly found the eventual game-winning goal in the 12th after Gauchos midfielder Eddie Villeda was whistled for barging into Mustangs midfielder Bakuena Ramakatsa inside the penalty area. An initial penalty attempt by Colley was saved by Gauchos goalkeeper David Mitzner before Cal Poly's captain headed the rebounded stop over the line for the 1-0 advantage.

Cal Poly placed eight of its 11 shot attempts on target Saturday, forcing Mitzner into three saves alone during the opening nine minutes of the second half. The Mustangs finally doubled the lead on 71 minutes after Mitzner hauled down Cal Poly freshman forward Finn Linas inside the penalty area. Guerra then stepped to the spot and converted for his second goal of the year.

(Article courtesty of Cal Poly Athletics and UCSB Athletics)