Stifling defense and a key goal from sophomore midfielder Diego Guerra saw Cal Poly Men’s Soccer outplay San Jose State for their first win of the season.
The Mustangs (1-3-1) created plenty of chances and stayed competitive in their matches before Thursday’s match against the Spartans (1-2-1), which saw the teams evenly matched.
The Mustangs were held to one shot on target in the first half-hour of the match but ultimately broke through just before halftime.
Mustangs’ set pieces had not found the back of the net in previous matches. Still, Guerra capitalized off of a Finn Linas throw-in, which was nodded on by sophomore defender Parker Owens and punched in by Guerra.
Junior goalkeeper Nicky McCune and his defense held firm on the other side of the ball. McCune recorded his second clean sheet of the season, with two saves in the second half securing the result for the Mustangs.
Cal Poly’s defensive unit has been solid throughout the year, letting in no goals against San Francisco and forcing difficult shots against Saint Mary’s.
The Mustangs also outlasted the Spartans in a very physical game. There were more fouls (22-10) but fewer yellow cards (1-4) during the match.
Thursday’s win demonstrates the Mustangs’ play at Mustang Memorial Field under head coach Oige Kennedy. Last year, Cal Poly was 4-3-1 in home games while being just 1-5-3 while away from San Luis Obispo.
Their new momentum will be challenged, leading to a formidable opponent in Gonzaga, who boast an undefeated 5-0-0 record in 2024, on Sunday at 1 p.m.
