Cal Poly Women’s Soccer extended their unbeaten streak at home to six games after playing to a 2-2 draw against Cal State Bakersfield.
The Mustangs (4-1-8, 2-1-1 Big West) have also extended the program record for most ties in a single season, with eight ties so far this year. They had previously set a record of seven in their draw against Seattle University on Sept. 14
The tie also entered them into a three-way deadlock for second place in the Big West Conference with Cal State Northridge and Cal State Fullerton.
Battling back and forth
Cal Poly began trailing early in the game after giving up an early goal to Bakersfield, after the Roadrunners applied continuous offensive pressure within the first 15 minutes of the match, with four corner kick opportunities and four shots attempted.
Cal Poly battled back, scoring their first goal of the game nearly 20 minutes later. Midfielder Madeline Dougherty set up senior midfielder Brennan Cole with a right side corner kick, and Cole delivered with a header into the top right of the goal.
The goal was Cole’s first since Sept. 14, when the Mustangs faced Seattle University.
“I owe it to coach [Brett Finkelstein]. He really sets us up for success on those corner kicks and Maddie just laid me up. All I had to do was get my head on it and get it in the back of the net,” Cole said. “The celebration with everyone was fun. It was a big, big moment for us to tie that game up.”
Cal Poly quickly took a 2-1 lead just four minutes into the second half, with a strike from senior forward Jessie Halladay with an assist from junior forward Annika Smith.
Halladay leads the Big West in goal scoring with eight goals, later crediting her success to her teammates and coaches.
“My last two goals were set up perfectly by Annika Smith just working hard and playing balls across the face of the goal. I’m just there to put it in,” Halladay said.
Bakersfield evened the score on a penalty kick to the bottom right of the net with just 11 minutes left in the game, spoiling the Mustangs’ shot at a third consecutive win – a streak that would have been their longest this season.
Reminiscing with the Roadrunners
The match was especially significant for newly appointed head coach Bernardo Silva. He served as head coach for the Bakersfield women’s soccer program from 2023 to2024, and this matchup marked Silva’s first time in which he competed against his former team.
“We had some really special times there for a year and a half,” Silva said. “It was exciting to see them, not exciting to play against them because you built something there.”
The Mustangs will look to continue their new unbeaten streak of three games in a face-off against the University of Hawaii Manoa at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium. The game will kick off on Thursday Oct. 9 at 9 p.m.
“[I’m] excited to get out there and try to bring points home. That’s the goal. We’re taking it one game at a time,” Silva said.