Sunday, November 5
Fullerton, CA / Titan Stadium
1 P.M.
10-8-3, 6-3-1
0
vs
1
No. 5 UC Irvine
8-7-6, 3-3-4
1
2
F
UC Irvine
1
0
1
Cal Poly
0
0
0
Team Stats
UCI
CP
Goals
1
0
Shots
12
8
Shots on Goal
2
0
Saves
0
1
Corners
3
2
Fouls
9
7
Scoring Plays
Mirayah Villalpando (2)
Assisted By: Mihaela Perez , Suus de Bakker
GOAL by UCI Villalpando, Mirayah Assist by Perez, Mihaela and de Bakker, Suus.
39:01
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
mid
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
D
/ Women's SoccerF
/ Women's Soccer
F/MF
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's SoccerF
/ Women's Soccer
Photo by: Eyasu Betwos
Cal Poly's Postseason Run Ends in Big West Championship Match
11/5/2023 4:30:00 PM | Women's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — The Cal Poly women's soccer team saw another incredible season come to a close Sunday as the third-seeded Mustangs fell to fifth-seeded UC Irvine 1-0 in the Big West Championship at Cal State Fullerton's Titan Stadium.
A 39th-minute goal by UC Irvine's Mirayah Villalpando was the difference, but the Mustangs never gave up and generated a handful of dangerous scoring opportunities throughout the match.
With just over a minute left in the first half, freshman Jaycee DeFazio created some separation just outside the box and blasted a shot with her right foot just over the crossbar.
In the second half, Cal Poly ratcheted up its pressure on the Anteater backline as they searched for an equalizer. Less than two minutes in, junior Emily Nedom took a pass from sophomore Jessie Halladay and played a highly-flying cross to the back post that freshman Annika Smith headed wide of the right post.
In the 70th minute, sophomore Emily Lieber fired a shot from distance just over the crossbar and in the 73rd Smith sent one just wide of the left post.
In the 88th minute, Smith earned Cal Poly's best scoring opportunity of the match as senior Olivia Ortiz sent a ball into the box that found its way to the foot of Smith, who had a chance in front blocked away by a UC Irvine defender.
For the Anteaters, it's their third straight Big West Championship.
The Mustangs, who were seeking their fourth Big West tournament title and sixth trip to the NCAA Tournament, finished the season with a 10-8-3 record.
Cal Poly advanced to the championship match for the second time in three seasons by defeating Hawai'i 2-1 in the first round and UC Davis 2-1 in the semifinals.
The future is extremely bright for the Mustangs with only five players from this year's team set to graduate and most of the starters set to return next fall, including Big West Defensive Player of the Year Emma Brown, and All-Big West Second Team selections Mackenzie Samuel and Annika Smith.
This fall, Cal Poly broke a program record for players to record a point in a season with 21 registering at least one and had 15 different players score a goal — tying the 1996 team for the most in a season.
A 39th-minute goal by UC Irvine's Mirayah Villalpando was the difference, but the Mustangs never gave up and generated a handful of dangerous scoring opportunities throughout the match.
With just over a minute left in the first half, freshman Jaycee DeFazio created some separation just outside the box and blasted a shot with her right foot just over the crossbar.
In the second half, Cal Poly ratcheted up its pressure on the Anteater backline as they searched for an equalizer. Less than two minutes in, junior Emily Nedom took a pass from sophomore Jessie Halladay and played a highly-flying cross to the back post that freshman Annika Smith headed wide of the right post.
In the 70th minute, sophomore Emily Lieber fired a shot from distance just over the crossbar and in the 73rd Smith sent one just wide of the left post.
In the 88th minute, Smith earned Cal Poly's best scoring opportunity of the match as senior Olivia Ortiz sent a ball into the box that found its way to the foot of Smith, who had a chance in front blocked away by a UC Irvine defender.
For the Anteaters, it's their third straight Big West Championship.
The Mustangs, who were seeking their fourth Big West tournament title and sixth trip to the NCAA Tournament, finished the season with a 10-8-3 record.
Cal Poly advanced to the championship match for the second time in three seasons by defeating Hawai'i 2-1 in the first round and UC Davis 2-1 in the semifinals.
The future is extremely bright for the Mustangs with only five players from this year's team set to graduate and most of the starters set to return next fall, including Big West Defensive Player of the Year Emma Brown, and All-Big West Second Team selections Mackenzie Samuel and Annika Smith.
This fall, Cal Poly broke a program record for players to record a point in a season with 21 registering at least one and had 15 different players score a goal — tying the 1996 team for the most in a season.
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
