4-6-0
Santa Clara
6-3-1
Cal Poly Finishes Non-Conference Play With 4-0 Loss at No. 20 Santa Clara
9/29/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Playing its final non-conference match of the season, the Cal Poly women's soccer team lost 4-0 to No. 20 Santa Clara on Sunday afternoon at Buck Shaw Stadium.
The Broncos (6-3-1) went up 1-0 in the 17th minute when Jordan Jesolva chipped to Allie Vernon, who proceeded to put away a header.
Cal Poly's best chance before the break came in the 19th minute, when sophomore forward Sara Epps got a shot off, but it was wide.
Four first-half saves by sophomore goalkeeper Alyssa Giannetti kept the possibility of a potentially imminent equalizer alive for the Mustangs (4-6-0). Two of her saves came in the 33rd minute when she nullified back-to-back attempts by Paige Robertson that were mere seconds apart.
Cal Poly's backline limited Bronco senior midfielder Julie Johnston, a reigning first-team All-American with U.S. National Team experience, to one shot for the entire match. In the 41st minute, though, Brittany Ambrose struck unassisted from nearly 20 yards out, sending Santa Clara to halftime with a 2-0 advantage.
Cal Poly senior midfielder Haley Walker placed a shot on goal in the 55th minute, but Andi Tostanoski came up with the save.
Soon afterward, Santa Clara's Morgan Marlborough scored with a header off a cross from Sofia Huerta in the 59th minute to provide the insurance goal. In the 70th minute, Jesolva made it 4-0 with an unassisted strike from the perimeter of the penalty area.
Cal Poly sophomore forward Elise Krieghoff took two second-half shots, including one on goal in the 71st minute.
Giannetti finished with six saves.
The Mustangs were playing in their sixth consecutive road match. The Broncos, who entered the weekend ranked as high as No. 12 in a media poll (that of CollegeSoccer360.com), were the third 2012 NCAA Tournament team that the Mustangs have faced this season.
Cal Poly will now return home to open Big West Conference play by hosting Long Beach State (6-3-0) at 5 p.m. Friday in Alex G. Spanos Stadium.
Team Stats
VERNON, Allie (1)
Assisted By: JESOLVA, Jordan
Chip to header
16:13
AMBROSE, Brittany (1)
shot from outside the 18
40:53
MARLBOROUGH, Morgan
Assisted By: RICE, Ellie
cross to header
58:02
JESOLVA, Jordan
dribbles and shot outside the 18
69:41
