Cal Poly Hosts San Diego State Friday, San Francisco Monday to Open Home Action

Friday, September 3

San Luis Obispo, CA

7 P.M.

San Diego State (RV)

Photo by: Owen Main | Cal Poly Athletics

Cal Poly Hosts San Diego State Friday, San Francisco Monday to Open Home Action

9/2/2021 2:27:00 PM | Men's Soccer

SAN LUIS OBISPO – The Cal Poly men's soccer program opens its eight-match home schedule inside Alex G. Spanos Stadium and its lengthiest home stand of the season when welcoming San Diego State on Friday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. and San Francisco on Monday, Sept. 6 at 4 p.m. Returning to action following Monday's 2-1, come-from-behind victory at Saint Mary's, Cal Poly opened the regular season with 1-0 loss at Santa Clara (Aug. 27) in which the Broncos required a re-taken penalty to edge the Mustangs. San Diego State (1-0-1), which topped CSUN, 2-0 (Aug. 26), before forcing a scoreless draw at No. 17 Loyola Marymount (Aug. 30), earned 28 points in the Aug. 31 edition of the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll to finish 34 votes behind No. 25 Stanford. The Aztecs are coached by former Cal Poly assistant Ryan Hopkins (2009-11). San Francisco (1-1-0) opened its year with a 2-1 home victory against Sacramento State (Aug. 26) before falling at UCLA (Aug. 29) by the same score. The Dons visit UC Santa Barbara Friday before facing Cal Poly.

FOLLOW CAL POLY THIS WEEK: Dan Gillman provides play-by-play from Friday's matchup versus San Diego State for GoPoly.com HERE while Zachary Anderson-Yoxsimer handles duties Monday against San Francisco HERE … streaming video and live stats from both matchups will also be available via GoPoly.com HERE.

THE COMPANY YOU KEEP: Including Friday's home opener against San Diego State, five of Cal Poly's opening seven matchups come against programs ranked or receiving votes in the Aug. 31 edition of the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll. Having already defeated Saint Mary's (receiving votes), Cal Poly – after facing San Diego State (RV) – hosts Grand Canyon (RV) on Sept. 16 and visits No. 15 Loyola Marymount on Sept. 20 and UC Santa Barbara (RV) on Sept. 25.

CAL POLY VERSUS SAN DIEGO STATE: Cal Poly's home opener against San Diego State marks just the third meeting between the two sides in the past 21 years. Cal Poly is undefeated versus San Diego State in the last four meetings, handing the Aztecs a 1-0 defeat during the last matchup on Sept. 16, 2017 at SDSU Sports Park. The Mustangs lead the Division I series, 4-1-1.

CAL POLY VERSUS SAN FRANCISCO: Facing San Francisco for just the fifth time at the Division I level, Cal Poly finished in a scoreless road draw versus the Dons during the last meeting on Sept. 30, 2019. Cal Poly also topped San Francisco at home in 2014 (2-1) and 2013 (2-0) and leads the Division I series, 2-1-1.

FRESHMEN IN THE FOLD: Helping Cal Poly to its first victory of the year at Saint Mary's (Aug. 30) were two freshman goalscorers appearing in just their second collegiate games as defender Conner Leber's 65th-minute effort cancelled out a 60th-minute opener from the Gaels before defender Jacob Glass found the match-winner 14 minutes from full time. Glass also leads Cal Poly with four shot attempts.

BOYAL FUELS SUCCESS: The Big West Conference's early assists leader, senior midfielder Neil Boyal – a 2020 transfer from Louisville – set up both of Cal Poly's goals (11 minutes apart) during the program's 2-1, come-from-behind win at Saint Mary's (Aug. 30).

ARCE-HURTADO BACK IN FRAME: Having conceded just one goal from open play through two matches, junior goalkeeper Carlos Arce-Hurtado ranks third among Big West players in goals against average (1.00), total saves (nine) and saves per game (4.50). Through 19 collegiate appearances, Arce-Hurtado ranks fourth in program history with a 1.17 career goals against average and sixth with a .731 save percentage.

ONE-TO-100: 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.

UP NEXT (SEPT. 16): Cal Poly closes its three-game home stand with a Thursday, Sept. 16 matchup against Grand Canyon. Kickoff is 7 p.m. for the Mustangs, whose only other Division I matchup versus Grand Canyon was a 2-0 home win on Sept. 11, 2014. NCAA Tournament qualifiers and defending Western Athletic Conference champions from this past spring, Grand Canyon (2-0-0) visits No. 5 Washington (Sept. 3), No. 22 Oregon State (Sept. 6) and Saint Mary's (Sept. 10) before facing Cal Poly.