UC Riverside
Sigler Golden Goal Lifts Cal Poly to 1-0 Victory
10/2/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – For the second-successive season the Cal Poly men's soccer team opened Big West Conference play with a 1-0 overtime triumph as junior center back Patrick Sigler's 92nd-minute strike lifted the Mustangs to victory against UC Riverside on Saturday evening at UCR Soccer Stadium.
Just a minute into overtime Sigler charged toward the UC Riverside penalty area and, after corralling a loose ball following a tackle, fed senior forward David Zamora. Zamora promptly backheeled a pass to Sigler (above), who fired a shot from approximately 17 yards and bested UC Riverside goalkeeper Nick Goldreich to provide the Mustangs with their fourth-straight Big West-opening victory. The goal was Sigler's first of the year while Zamora registered his team-leading fourth assist.
Coincidentally, it was Sigler who was credited with an assist on Zamora's 95th-minute strike that helped Cal Poly open its 2009 Big West campaign with a 1-0 victory at Cal State Fullerton.
"It was an incredible play from Patrick, who committed to a tackle and regained the ball after it popped out," fifth-year Cal Poly head coach Paul Holocher said. "David had the presence of mind to backheel to Patrick, who fired from distance."
Sophomore goalkeeper Brett Finkelstein matched a season high with six saves for Cal Poly (4-3-1, 1-0-0), which ran its winning streak versus UC Riverside (3-6-1, 0-2-0) to five-straight victories and its unbeaten run against the Highlanders to seven-consecutive matches.
Cal Poly and UC Riverside combined for just three shots on goal during the first half with Mustang junior midfielder Cameron Walters being turned away by Goldreich during the 43rd minute.
The Mustangs were denied a chance to take the lead during the 59th minute when senior forward Junior Burgos hit the crossbar. Two minutes later, Goldreich stopped a Zamora header on target.
Cruelly, Burgos again found the crossbar in the 70th before Goldreich thwarted an attempt by junior midfielder Tim White a minute later. Zamora, who produced a match-best four shot attempts, saw another header stopped by Goldreich in the 79th.
"It's so important to get off to a good start in the Big West. There's no easy places to play in the conference," Holocher added. "UC Riverside is a good team that will cause problems for people and win games. I feel like we're coming together a bit now and that there's a sense of fight and urgency in our play."
Cal Poly continues Big West play when hosting Cal State Northridge on Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.
