Cal Poly Visits UC Riverside, Hosts UC Davis in Critical Big West Matchups

Wednesday, October 20

Riverside, CA

7 P.M.

UC Riverside

Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics

Cal Poly Visits UC Riverside, Hosts UC Davis in Critical Big West Matchups

10/19/2021 1:29:00 PM | Men's Soccer

SAN LUIS OBISPO – The Cal Poly men's soccer program plays two of its final three regular season matches on the road, beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 20 with a 7 p.m. matchup at UC Riverside. Cal Poly then closes its eight-game home schedule at Alex G. Spanos Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 24 versus UC Davis at 3 p.m. With a scoreless draw against Big West leader UC Santa Barbara (Oct. 16), Cal Poly (5-5-3, 3-1-2) retained second place in the conference standings alongside UC Irvine (5-7-3, 3-12) on 11 points. Cal Poly and UC Irvine still trail UC Santa Barbara (8-3-4, 4-0-2) by three points while UC Riverside (8-5-1, 3-2-1) and UC Davis (7-7-1, 3-2-1) jointly occupy fourth on 10 points. The top six programs in the 10-team standings qualify for the Big West Tournament (Nov. 3, 6 and 13). The Big West's dominant defensive program, Cal Poly enters Wednesday's matchup having failed to allow a goal in previous last 230 minutes, conceded just one in the last 492 minutes and only two in six conference matches. The Mustang rank 32nd among 202 NCAA Division I programs with just 11 goals allowed. UC Riverside and UC Davis both rank second among Big West programs with 25 goals scored.

FOLLOW CAL POLY THIS WEEK: Live stats will be available for both Cal Poly's Wednesday match at UC Riverside and Sunday's home finale versus UC Davis HERE … Zachary Anderson-Yoxsimer provides play-by-play for Sunday's game against UC Davis alongside the video stream for GoPoly.com HERE.

CAL POLY VERSUS UC RIVERSIDE: The Mustangs have dropped their last two visits to UC Riverside by 1-0 scoreless in 2019 and 2016. Cal Poly, however, has defeated UC Riverside in 10 of the last 14 meetings and leads the Division I series, 16-10-1.

CAL POLY VERSUS UC DAVIS: The Mustangs are undefeated in their last three trips to UC Davis, but have won just one of their last six home matchups versus the Aggies. Home to UC Davis in the last matchup on Oct. 9, 2019, Cal Poly was edged, 1-0. UC Davis leads the Division I series, 14-12-3.

ARCE-HURTADO SHINES IN GOAL: Having conceded just 10 goals from open play through 13 matches and just one in his last 492 minutes, junior goalkeeper Carlos Arce-Hurtado ranks 20th among NCAA Division I players with five shutouts and 26th with a 0.80 goals against average. With a season high five saves in Cal Poly's Aug. 27 opener at Santa Clara, Arce-Hurtado recorded his first shutout of the year in Cal Poly's 3-0 home win against San Francisco (Sept. 6) before recording successive clean sheets in 1-0 victories versus CSUN (Oct. 3) and UC San Diego (Oct. 6). He then helped shut out Cal State Fullerton (Oct. 13) and UC Santa Barbara (Oct. 16) in two more back-to-back efforts. Through 30 collegiate appearances, Arce-Hurtado – a three-time Big West Defensive Player of the Week selection this season – ranks third in program history with a 1.01 goals against average and fourth with nine shutouts.

SET TO BOYAL: Four of senior Neil Boyal's five assists have helped fuel Cal Poly victories with the midfielder ranked second among Big West players and 50th among NCAA Division I players. A 2020 transfer from Louisville, Boyal set up both of Cal Poly's goals (11 minutes apart) during the program's 2-1, come-from-behind victory at Saint Mary's (Aug. 30) before providing assists in Cal Poly's 3-0 win against San Francisco (Sept. 6), 3-2 overtime loss to No. 25 Grand Canyon (Sept. 16) and 1-0 home victory versus CSUN (Oct. 3). Boyal also scored his first Cal Poly goal against Grand Canyon as the Mustangs scored twice in the final three minutes to force overtime. One of four Mustangs to start all 13 games, Boyal ranks second among Cal Poly's outfield players with 93.5 minutes played per outing while having played every minute in a game 10 times.

FIRST IN GLASS: Now with two game-winning goals following his 68th-minute strike in a 1-0 home victory against CSUN (Oct. 3), freshman defender Jacob Glass ranks 10th among Big West players with four goals while also leading Cal Poly in shots (13) and shots on goal (six). After his 76th-minute goal marked the winning margin in a 2-1 victory at Saint Mary's (Aug. 30), Glass scored in a 3-0 home win against San Francisco (Sept. 3) before scoring in the 87th minute to help Cal Poly force overtime versus No. 25 Grand Canyon (Sept. 16). His most recent goal was the 68th minute game-winner versus CSUN (Oct. 3). A starter in all 13 matches on the backline, Glass has helped the Mustangs to five shutouts this year. Alongside junior goalkeeper Carlos Arce-Hurtado, Glass is one of two Mustangs to play all 1,237 minutes this year and averages 95.2 minutes per game.

PEREZ BACK ON THE SCORESHEET: Cal Poly's leading returning scorer this season after producing nine goals in 2019, senior forward and co-captain Emmanuel Perez's two goals have come in the program's last six matches. After scoring in a 1-1, Big West-opening draw at Sacramento State (Sept. 29), Perez found the 73rd-minute game-winner versus UC San Diego (Oct. 6). With 14 career goals, Perez requires just one more to reach ninth place in program history.

FRESHMEN IN THE FOLD: Nine of Cal Poly's 13 goals this season have been scored by freshmen. Following defender Jacob Glass (four), defender Conner Leber has scored twice in wins against Saint Mary's (Aug. 30) and San Francisco (Sept. 6) while forward Max Kleinhammes scored versus San Diego State to force a 1-1 home draw (Sept. 3). Midfielder Nathan Colley and defender Ori Bitton became Cal Poly's latest freshman goalscorers when finding the back of the Cal State Fullerton net in a 2-0 victory (Oct. 13).

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP: Four of Cal Poly's opening seven matchups came against programs either ranked or receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll (at time of match). Among Cal Poly's early results, the Mustangs produced a 2-1 victory at Saint Mary's (receiving votes) on Aug. 30 and drew San Diego State (receiving votes) on Sept. 3.

ETC.: The men's soccer team remains Cal Poly's most internally represented program with players from seven countries on this year's roster: United States, Mexico, England, Scotland, Netherlands, Norway and New Zealand … Cal Poly's 2-1 victory at Saint Mary's (Aug. 30) marked Cal Poly head coach Steve Sampson's 100th collegiate victory. Sampson, who finished 64-19-19 with Santa Clara (1986-90), owns 36 victories with the Mustangs and a now 100-62-31 career collegiate mark.