Early Goal Lifts Cal Poly Men's Soccer into Big West Tournament Semifinal

Saturday, November 7

12 pm

11-3-5

UC Irvine

5-11-4

UC Irvine

Cal Poly

Early Goal Lifts Cal Poly Men's Soccer into Big West Tournament Semifinal

11/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

POSTGAME QUOTES

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Junior forward Justin Dhillon's fifth-minute header stood as the decisive goal Saturday afternoon as the 23rd-ranked Cal Poly men's soccer team produced its first Big West Conference Tournament victory in program history with a 1-0 opening-round triumph versus UC Irvine inside Alex G. Spanos Stadium.

Big West Goalkeeper of the Year honoree Wade Hamilton recorded seven saves for Cal Poly (11-3-5), which advanced beyond the opening round for the first time in six Big West Tournament appearances. With Saturday's win, Cal Poly moved into the semifinals and will visit Big West South Division champion Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Match time inside Titan Stadium is 7 p.m.

Big West North Division champion UC Santa Barbara hosts either UC Davis or CSUN in Wednesday's remaining semifinal (UC Davis and CSUN play Saturday at 7 p.m.). The Big West Tournament championship match, with an automatic NCAA Tournament invitation on the line, is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14.

Cal Poly, hosting its first Big West Tournament game in six years, earned the right to play Saturday's opening-round contest inside Spanos Stadium after finishing second in the Big West North Division standings. UC Irvine was the third-place entry from the South Division.

Now unbeaten in 12 of the previous 13 matches, Cal Poly tied a single season program record Saturday with its 11th win of the year. The 1995, 1998, 2007, 2008 and 2012 Mustang squads each won 11 matches.

Cal Poly notched the game-winning goal with its first shot attempt Saturday as freshman forward George Grote lobbed a cross from the left side of the UC Irvine penalty area for Dhillon, who headed his third goal of 2015 from four yards and to the right of Anteater goalkeeper Elliot Farmer. The assist was Grote's team-leading sixth of the season.

The Mustangs nearly doubled their lead in the 19th minute but, after corralling an upfield pass, junior midfielder Austin Wilcox's point blank shot was stopped by a charging Farmer.

Hamilton, who recorded his 18th career shutout in his 67 successive start, chalked up just one of his seven saves in the first half while three came during the game's final eight minutes. In the 83rd minute, Hamilton thwarted UC Irvine midfielder Eduardo Calzada twice in a span of 16 seconds to preserve Cal Poly's lead.

Then, 10 seconds from full time, Hamilton stopped UC Irvine defender Thomas Janjigian to help provide Cal Poly the victory.

Hamilton's eighth shutout of 2015 is one shy of the Cal Poly single season program record. Cal Poly, which featured the Big West's second-ranked defense entering play Saturday, lowered its season goals against average to 0.94.