Past Soccer Coverage
Cal Poly Men’s Soccer to move to Pac-12 Conference following 25 years in Big West
Cal Poly Men’s Soccer will transition into a new era of the program and join…
First postseason win in a decade sends Cal Poly Men’s Soccer to the Big West Championship semi-finals
No. 3 seeded Cal Poly took on No. 6 UC San Diego in the first…
What to look for in Cal Poly Men’s Soccer’s Big West Tournament opening round
With the three-way tie, the Mustangs clinched the third-seed in the upcoming Big West Championships,…
Cal Poly’s Men’s Soccer repeat as Big West Regular Season Champions
Cal Poly, meanwhile, took care of Cal State Bakersfield on Saturday night with a 2-0…
Live Updates
Cal Poly Men’s Soccer overcomes UCSB for the first time in nearly six years
The Mustangs have ended a nine-game winless streak that had been ongoing for nearly six years after beating the Gauchos 2-0. Fans stormed the field as the clock hit 90 minutes, crowding and celebrating around the Cal Poly Men’s Soccer team. Midfielders Nathan Colley and Diego Guerra scored the two goals that had been the difference makers of the match. This marks the first time the Mustangs have beaten the Gauchos since September 30, 2018.
Blue-Green game gets physical in final ten minutes
Cal Poly midfielder Benji Jimenez is shoved against the wall and almost stripped of the ball by a UCSB player in 81st minute of the match. Officials stopped play for an official review of the sequence but no fouls were issued after review.
Cal Poly’s second penalty of the match widens the lead to 2-0
The Mustangs’ second penalty of the match was converted by midfielder Diego Guerra with an emphatic strike in the bottom-right corner of the UCSB net. Forward Finn Linas drew the penalty off of Gaucho goalkeeper David Mitzner in the 70th minute of the match. Linas took advantage of a through-ball from midfielder Quinn Mahoney, the resulting breakaway leading to the foul and goal.
A corner-kick rattles the Cal Poly post
A corner-kick sent into the box by UCSB forward Alexis Ledoux in the 66th minute made it through the crowd untouched, only stopped from reaching the Mustangs’ net by the left post of goalkeeper Nicky McCune’s goal. Just after, the fifth yellow card of the match was given on Cal Poly defender Jack Muoio for an errant tackle on forward Zac Siebenlist.
Blue-Green Rivalry draws the largest crowd in the NCAA this season
With a recorded attendance of 9,657, the Mustang crowd ranks as the biggest for men’s soccer in the NCAA this season, beating the next largest crowd this year by around 3,000. The number ranks 32nd all-time for NCAA men’s soccer, fitting into a list already dominated by the Blue-Green rivalry. The matchup accounts for 27 out of the top 50 all-time attendance records for NCAA men’s soccer.
Cal Poly exerts pressure to begin second half
The Mustangs opened the second half of play with energy, forcing UCSB goalkeeper David Mitzner into three saves, including a one-on-one look from midfielder Bakuena Ramakatsa. The Gauchos have been unable to hold possession throughout the first seven minutes of the half.
Halftime: Cal Poly leads 1-0
After back-and-forth first half of soccer, the goal from midfielder Nate Colley is the difference in the match. The field remains almost completely clear of tortillas. Increased security measures including thorough bag checks have led to a lack of tortilla interference.
Tensions rise in Blue-Green game
A yellow card was handed out to Cal Poly forward Colin Pearce after he attempted a slide tackle. Less than a minute later, former Cal Poly player and current UCSB forward Ocean Salari was booked after an altercation following a foul committed on defender Parker Owens in the 34th minute.
Pair of yellow cards at 15:34
A pair of yellow cards are handed out to UCSB midfielder Manu Duah and to the Gaucho bench following Duah’s attempt to tackle forward Oren Stuppel.
Nate Colley penalty gives Cal Poly 1-0 lead
UCSB Midfielder Eddie Villeda commits a foul in the penalty area at 11:10. Midfielder Nathan Colley steps up for the penalty shot, which is saved by goalkeeper David Mitzner. Colley follows the rebound with an emphatic header. The Mustangs lead 1-0.
First tortilla hits the field
The first tortilla was launched from the stands following a breakaway from Mikkel Goeling of UCSB at 8:40 in the first half.
Cal Poly, UCSB Men’s Soccer game kicks off
Game starts at 3:10
Cal Poly Men’s Soccer takes on nationally ranked UC Santa Barbara on Saturday
The Mustangs will play No. 13-ranked UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. The game starts at 3 p.m. at Mustang Memorial Field. Cal Poly is coming off two ties against Utah Valley and Utah Tech and have a 2-3-3 record. The Gauchos are 6-1-1. The Mustangs have dropped the last nine matchups against the Gauchos.
The history behind the Blue-Green game
What is the history behind arguably the biggest rivalry in college men’s soccer? The rivalry dates back multiple seasons, but the two programs were on different paths in the mid 2000s. To learn more, visit this story by Mustang News reporter Matthew Muren.