Cal Poly Men’s Soccer bounced back from its first loss of the young season, earning a victory over LMU in a tough road environment on Monday night. The Mustangs (2-1-3) capitalized on a first-half goal and an amazing defensive performance, leaving Los Angeles with their second road win of the year.
After a difficult loss at No. 6 Indiana, the Mustangs came into the match looking to rebuild some momentum. Though the Lions (1-3-1) created multiple dangerous chances in the first half, the Mustangs kept their heads down and kept looking for a breakthrough moment.
That moment came in the 34th minute, when junior forward Finn Linas rose to meet a cross from Colin Pearce and headed it into the back of the net. Linas’ goal put the Mustangs up 1-0 entering halftime and allowed them to focus on protecting their lead coming out of the break.
The Lions entered the second half with an apparent sense of urgency, putting together several attacking combinations as the pressure continued to rise for the Mustang back line. LMU finished with a 14-6 advantage in shots and created several late opportunities in search of an equalizer.
The Mustangs, however, continued to defend with discipline. Goalkeeper Mathew Guerra continued his impressive form, turning away all three of LMU’s shots on goal. Cal Poly’s defensive effort held through the final whistle, preserving the shutout.
The road victory showed Cal Poly’s ability to close out tight matches in difficult environments. The Mustangs return home Thursday, Sept. 10, to host Utah Tech at 7 p.m. at Mustang Memorial Field.