Cal Poly Men’s Soccer picked up its first home loss of the season Wednesday night, falling 3-2 to CSU Bakersfield at Mustang Memorial Field.
The Mustang defense delivered an uncharacteristic performance, conceding three goals for the first time since Sept. 1, 2024.
“I think we just [had] individual errors, some things that we had prepped on and we just didn’t execute well in the game,” Head Coach Oige Kennedy said. “Very frustrating to give up that many goals at home when we’ve been so good defensively as a program in the last couple of years.”
The Roadrunners (2-2-2) capitalized on those defensive mistakes, forcing the Mustangs (3-2-3) to play from behind. Cal Poly fought hard to keep the game within reach, but the Roadrunners were able to respond and maintain control of their lead.
While the Mustangs struggled defensively, they earned two penalty kicks on the other end, both of which were converted by senior midfielder Colin Pearce.
Pearce attributed his confidence from the penalty spot to his preparation.
“I know that I’ve done all the work and that I’m only 12 yards out, so just calm myself down, get my heart rate down, and pick my spot and go for it,” Pearce said.
The two goals brought Pearce’s season total to three, while his three assists give him a team-leading nine points on the year. Still, the Mustangs were unable to find the equalizer.
“I think it just wasn’t our day in front of goal, and that’s what happens in soccer,” Pearce said. “You could play as good as you want, and if the ball doesn’t drop, it doesn’t drop.”
The numbers reflected the Mustangs’ ability to create opportunities, as they held the advantage in both shots and corner kicks over the Roadrunners. However, outside of the two penalty kicks, they were unable to convert their opportunities into goals.
After a tough loss, the Mustangs have nine days between matches to recover and focus on the issues exposed against the Roadrunners.
The Mustangs now prepare for arguably their most anticipated match of the season, as they host UC Santa Barbara in the Blue-Green Rivalry on Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. at Mustang Memorial Field.