Hawai'i
Cal Poly Takes on Hawai'i in Final Regular Season Road Match
10/21/2023 3:45:00 PM | Women's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — The Cal Poly women's soccer team continues its hunt for the outright Big West regular season crown and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament when the Mustangs take on Hawai'i on Sunday at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium. First kick for Cal Poly's final regular season road match is scheduled for 7 p.m. PDT.
BIG WEST UPDATE: A 1-0 defeat at UC Davis on Thursday snapped a five-match unbeaten streak and a three-match winning streak for the Mustangs (7-6-3, 5-2-1 Big West). However, Cal Poly remains in first place in the Big West standings with two matches left and they control their own destiny when it comes to grabbing at least a share of the conference regular season title for the third consecutive year. If the Mustangs win their final two matches, they will earn a first-round bye in the conference tournament and the right to host the semifinals and championship match. Currently, just 3 points separate the top five teams in the Big West standings. Cal Poly leads with 16 points, Cal State Fullerton is second with 15, UC Davis and Long Beach State are tied for third place with 14 and Hawai'i is fifth with 13.
FOLLOW CAL POLY: Sunday's match at Hawai'i will not be livestreamed, but you can follow the live stats HERE.
CAL POLY VERSUS HAWAI'I: The Mustangs are 8-1-3 all-time against the Rainbow Wahine and are unbeaten in their last three meetings (1-0-2) with Hawai'i. Last year at Mustang Memorial Field, Monserrat Hernandez Marquez scored the latest equalizing goal in program history with 16 seconds left to help Cal Poly secure a 2-2 draw against the Rainbow Wahine.
SCOUTING HAWAI'I: The Rainbow Wahine (5-5-3, 4-3-1 Big West), second in the conference in goals per match, is fresh off a 1-0 home victory over UC Santa Barbara on Thursday that allowed them to climb into solo fifth place in the Big West standings. In addition to their win over the Gauchos, the Rainbow Wahine own conference victories over CSUN, UC San Diego and Cal State Bakersfield, and drew 1-1 at Cal State Fullerton. Hawai'i is led by redshirt sophomore forward Amber Gilbert, who has buried six goals this season — tied for the third most in the Big West. Junior midfielders Brynn Mitchell and Mia Foster each have netted four goals, and Mitchell also ranks fourth in the conference in shots per match. Senior goalkeeper Sophie Augustin has started in every match for Hawai'i, recording 49 saves, a 1.56 goals against average, a .721 save percentage and two shutouts.
RECORD-BREAKING SHARING: Four players recorded their first collegiate point in last Sunday's 4-0 victory over CSUN — redshirt sophomore Dani Wozniak, redshirt freshman Sophia Minnite and freshmen Bailey Bracha and Jaycee DeFazio. Thanks to that showing on Sunday, 20 different players have recorded a point this season — a program record.
SCORING BY COMMITTEE: 14 different players have found the back of the net this season, tied for the second most in program history and the most since the 2008 season. Senior Kate Reedy, sophomore Jessie Halladay and freshman Annika Smith lead the way, burying four goals each. Halladay leads the team in points (four goals, four assists) and is tied for sixth in the Big West. With two-game winners this fall, Reedy is tied for the conference lead.
GIVE EM' ALL THE PRAISE: After beating a pair of Big West foes by a combined score of 6-0 at home last week, the Mustangs received plenty of recognition from the conference office Monday as Reedy was crowned Big West Offensive Player of the Week and DeFazio earned Big West Freshman of the Week. It was the first Big West weekly honor for both players. Reedy tallied a goal and two assists across the two matches this past week, while DeFazio recorded her first collegiate goal and assist in last Sunday's win over the Matadors.
HOLDING DOWN THE NET: Junior goalkeeper Mackenzie Samuel has been solid between the pipes all season long, recording three shutouts, a 1.210 goals against average and a .708 save percentage. The defending Big West Goalkeeper of the Year made her 25th straight start in net during Thursday's match at UC Davis. In a 2-0 victory over CSU Bakersfield on Oct. 12, she posted her 16th career clean sheet — sixth most in program history. The 2022 All-Big West First Team selection was named an honorable mention on the Oct. 2-8 Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week.
EMMAZING: Junior center back Emma Brown made her 39th consecutive start in Thursday's match against UC Davis. The All-Big West Preseason Team selection has appeared in 55 matches during her Cal Poly career, starting in 52 and playing every minute in 45 of them without receiving a card. Last season, Brown was named to the All-Big West First Team and received United Soccer Coaches All-West Region Third Team praise.
CAREER FIRSTS: 10 Mustangs have made their first collegiate appearance this fall and nine have recorded their first collegiate point.
UP NEXT: Cal Poly returns home to host UC San Diego at 7 p.m. Thursday in its regular season finale.
