Sunday, October 23
San Luis Obispo, CA
12 P.M.
8-6-3, 5-1-3
2
vs
0
UC Irvine
6-5-6, 2-2-5
1
2
F
UC Irvine
0
0
0
Cal Poly
1
1
2
Team Stats
IRVINE
POLY
Goals
0
2
Shots
4
15
Shots on Goal
3
6
Saves
3
3
Corners
2
3
Fouls
11
12
Scoring Plays
Camille Lafaix (5)
Assisted By: Madison Demijohn , Kylie Rojas
GOAL by POLY Lafaix, Camille Assist by Demijohn, Madison and Rojas, Kylie.
22:08
Megan Hansen (3)
POLY Megan Hansen PENALTY KICK GOAL.
82:36
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
def
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Soccer
MF
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
Cal Poly Shuts Out Anteaters to Move into Tie for First Place
10/23/2022 4:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Goals from senior midfielders Camille Lafaix and Megan Hansen helped Cal Poly women's soccer take down UC Irvine, the defending Big West Tournament champions, 2-0 Sunday afternoon at Alex G. Spanos Stadium and secure a spot in The Big West Championships.
With the victory, the Mustangs (8-6-3, 5-1-3 BW) moved into a tie for first place in the conference with Long Beach State (6-5-6, 5-1-3 BW), who suffered its first Big West loss at UC Santa Barbara on Sunday, falling 2-1. Currently, LBSU (+12) owns the goal differential tiebreaker against Cal Poly (+10).
After Thursday's emotional 1-1 home draw against Long Beach State, head coach Alex Crozier was proud of the way the Mustangs responded Sunday.
"It took them at least a full day to get beyond what happened Thursday," he said. "They just needed to focus on today, and they did. We can't do anything about the past."
1,592 fans — the highest attended women's soccer match at Alex G. Spanos Stadium since Oct. 19, 2018, against Hawaii — came out to cheer on the Mustangs in their home finale, and Cal Poly was on the attack from the opening whistle.
In the fourth minute, senior defender Kylie Rojas earned the first dangerous opportunity of the match when she blasted a shot from the top of the box at the UC Irvine goalkeeper following a corner kick by senior Monserrat Hernandez Marquez.
Lafaix struck first for the Mustangs in the 23rd minute. Rojas sliced through the midfield and sent a pass to senior forward Madison Demijohn in the box, who got a touch on the ball before Lafaix picked it up and buried her team-high fifth goal of the season. Lafaix's strike against the Anteaters was her third game-winning goal of the season, tied for the most in the conference.
Sophomore McKenna Carbon and Lafaix recorded shots on goal before Cal Poly carried a 1-0 advantage into halftime. The Mustangs, who split the Big West regular season title with UC Irvine last year, held the Anteaters without a shot in the opening half, outshooting them 9-0.
"They say the best defense is a good offense," Crozier said, "and we did a good job of just holding the ball, finding players in space and making them chase a bit. When they did win it, we were in good positions to defend … It was a great defensive effort."
In the 51st minute, freshman forward Emily Lieber nearly found the back of the net for the second time this season when her shot from inside the box rang off the left post.
Sophomore goalkeeper Mackenzie Samuel made a couple key saves in the second half to keep the Anteaters off the board and in the 83rd minute Hansen put the match away. Freshman forward Caylie Button drew a foul inside the box and Hansen stepped up and buried the penalty kick goal. It was her fourth goal of the season and third by way of penalty.
Cal Poly outshot UC Irvine 15-4 in the match and the team secured its ninth shutout of the season, their most since recording 11 during the 2009 season.
With three saves, Samuel earned her eighth clean sheet of the season, tied for the sixth most all-time by a Cal Poly goalkeeper in a single season.
The Mustangs travel to UC San Diego at 7 p.m. Thursday to wrap up regular season play. At the Tritons, Cal Poly will be looking to secure a first-round bye in the opening round of The Big West Championships, which start Sunday, Oct. 30, and possibly the No. 1 overall seed.
"I think we're playing well," Crozier said. "Goals are still hard to come by and so that's a challenge, but UC San Diego is a tough team to play. They play a little bit different than most teams, so if we can just continue our momentum, I think we'll be in good shape."
With the victory, the Mustangs (8-6-3, 5-1-3 BW) moved into a tie for first place in the conference with Long Beach State (6-5-6, 5-1-3 BW), who suffered its first Big West loss at UC Santa Barbara on Sunday, falling 2-1. Currently, LBSU (+12) owns the goal differential tiebreaker against Cal Poly (+10).
After Thursday's emotional 1-1 home draw against Long Beach State, head coach Alex Crozier was proud of the way the Mustangs responded Sunday.
"It took them at least a full day to get beyond what happened Thursday," he said. "They just needed to focus on today, and they did. We can't do anything about the past."
1,592 fans — the highest attended women's soccer match at Alex G. Spanos Stadium since Oct. 19, 2018, against Hawaii — came out to cheer on the Mustangs in their home finale, and Cal Poly was on the attack from the opening whistle.
In the fourth minute, senior defender Kylie Rojas earned the first dangerous opportunity of the match when she blasted a shot from the top of the box at the UC Irvine goalkeeper following a corner kick by senior Monserrat Hernandez Marquez.
Lafaix struck first for the Mustangs in the 23rd minute. Rojas sliced through the midfield and sent a pass to senior forward Madison Demijohn in the box, who got a touch on the ball before Lafaix picked it up and buried her team-high fifth goal of the season. Lafaix's strike against the Anteaters was her third game-winning goal of the season, tied for the most in the conference.
Sophomore McKenna Carbon and Lafaix recorded shots on goal before Cal Poly carried a 1-0 advantage into halftime. The Mustangs, who split the Big West regular season title with UC Irvine last year, held the Anteaters without a shot in the opening half, outshooting them 9-0.
"They say the best defense is a good offense," Crozier said, "and we did a good job of just holding the ball, finding players in space and making them chase a bit. When they did win it, we were in good positions to defend … It was a great defensive effort."
In the 51st minute, freshman forward Emily Lieber nearly found the back of the net for the second time this season when her shot from inside the box rang off the left post.
Sophomore goalkeeper Mackenzie Samuel made a couple key saves in the second half to keep the Anteaters off the board and in the 83rd minute Hansen put the match away. Freshman forward Caylie Button drew a foul inside the box and Hansen stepped up and buried the penalty kick goal. It was her fourth goal of the season and third by way of penalty.
Cal Poly outshot UC Irvine 15-4 in the match and the team secured its ninth shutout of the season, their most since recording 11 during the 2009 season.
With three saves, Samuel earned her eighth clean sheet of the season, tied for the sixth most all-time by a Cal Poly goalkeeper in a single season.
The Mustangs travel to UC San Diego at 7 p.m. Thursday to wrap up regular season play. At the Tritons, Cal Poly will be looking to secure a first-round bye in the opening round of The Big West Championships, which start Sunday, Oct. 30, and possibly the No. 1 overall seed.
"I think we're playing well," Crozier said. "Goals are still hard to come by and so that's a challenge, but UC San Diego is a tough team to play. They play a little bit different than most teams, so if we can just continue our momentum, I think we'll be in good shape."
A Sit-down Interview with New Cal Poly Women's Soccer Head Coach Bernardo Silva
Tuesday, January 21
The Origin Story of Cal Poly Women's Soccer and Alex Crozier
Thursday, December 19
Thank You, Coach Crozier
Wednesday, October 30
Cal Poly vs. Hawai'i, Women's Soccer Highlights -- Oct. 24th, 2024
Friday, October 25
