4-2-3
(13) Cal
6-1-2
Cal Poly Plays No. 13 Cal to Scoreless Draw at Home
9/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The Cal Poly women's soccer team battled No. 13-ranked Cal to a scoreless draw during a Week of Welcome-concluding game hosted in Alex G. Spanos Stadium on Sunday.
The Mustangs (4-2-3), playing their third of five matches against sides slotted in the top 20 of the preseason national coaches poll, will wrap up their four-game home stand against No. 8 BYU (7-1-0) at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Cal Poly's Alyssa Giannetti made saves in the 37th, 56th, 97th and 104th minutes, plus back-to-back stops in the 73rd. It was the 18th career shutout for the senior, the fifth-highest total in school history.
Arielle Ship, the NSCAA National Player of the Week on Sept. 8, fired four shots for the Golden Bears (6-1-2).
On a day so hot water breaks were taken each half, Cal Poly senior Sara Epps had perhaps the best Mustang chance before the break, forcing Emily Boyd into a save in the 42nd minute (after also shooting wide-left on 35').
With just over 20 minutes remaining until the end of regulation, freshman Caitlyn Kreutz sent a ball ahead to fellow first-year attacking Mustang Kelly Kessloff inside the middle of the 18-yard box, but Boyd ran out just in time to nullify the threat.
Then nearly four minutes into the second overtime period, Kreutz placed a header on target, although Boyd was there once more, before she again tested the 2014 Soccer America All-Freshman First Team member with a 108th-minute shot after breaking through the right side of the Cal back line.
Emily Hansen, Robin Mertens and Gianna Rosati each played all 110 minutes for the Mustangs. It was the ninth consecutive complete game for Mertens, a senior center back.
Following the mid-week game against the Cougars, Cal Poly will finish non-conference action at No. 19 Pepperdine (5-3-1) at 1 p.m. Sunday.
