After 110 minutes of open play and a scoreline tied at one apiece, UC Davis ended the Cal Poly Men’s Soccer’s season on Sunday at Mustang Memorial Field.
It was the only loss the Green and Gold suffered at home all season.
The back-and-forth affair ended 5-4 in favor of the fourth-seeded Aggies (9-5-6, 4-3-2 Big West) on penalties, with a save from UC Davis goalkeeper Mekhai Wilson on junior forward Conner Lisenbee shutting down the top-seeded Mustangs (7-4-8, 4-1-4 Big West).
This year, Cal Poly achieved program-record lows in both total goals conceded (13) and opponent goals per game (0.68), highlighting one of the most successful seasons in the program’s history.
Cal Poly clinched the Big West regular season title and a first-round bye last Saturday against Cal State Bakersfield, but it lost its momentum in the semi-final of the Big West Championship.
“Very proud of the guys, and for a lot of our seniors, it’s about leaving the jersey in a better place than where they found it, and I think they’ve done that,” head coach Oige Kennedy said.
The match’s first goal came from a Cal Poly corner, with junior defender Nico Baltazar taking advantage of a long cross from Bakuena Ramakatsa, headed forward by freshman midfielder and Big West Freshman of the Year Quinn Mahoney.
However, that shot and goal would remain the Mustangs’ only attacking threat until the second half, when UC Davis outshot Cal Poly 14-1.
Despite five saves from Big West Goalkeeper of the Year, junior Nicky McCune, the Aggies equalized and sent the game to extra time.
The shot totals would end 20-10, as Cal Poly gained momentum near the end of the match but found the back of the net elusive in the late minutes of the match.
Cal Poly’s best chance came in minute 106, with Big West Defender of the Year Parker Owens heading the ball towards the net, only to be stopped at the final hurdle by a goal-line clearance.
McCune saved one of UC Davis’ penalties in the shootout, but ultimately the Aggies prevailed.
Even with the loss, McCune is excited for the team’s future.
“We have a really young team, a lot of young guys and a lot of guys that stepped up,” McCune said. “Some attacking guys that were hurt this year early on, and we’re going to be happy to have them back, get some more goals next year.”
Three of the four starting Cal Poly defenders will be returning next year, with the exception of graduate Jack Muoio, who will finish the program in 2024.
With the nationally ranked third-best defense in goals against average returning at nearly full strength next season, Cal Poly men’s soccer has the foundations of success set in stone.
“I genuinely feel like we could have gone further, but, and I know this group is only gonna keep getting better and stronger,” Baltazar said.
