UC San Diego
First-Place Cal Poly Faces Two Pivotal Road Matchups
10/15/2024 11:30:00 AM | Men's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Unbeaten in nine straight and in a three-way tie for first place atop the Big West table on eight points alongside Cal State Bakersfield and UC Santa Barbara, the Cal Poly men’s soccer program visits UC San Diego on Wednesday, Oct. 16 and Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, Oct. 19. Kickoff both evenings on ESPN+ is 7 p.m. for Cal Poly (5-3-5, 2-0-2), which co-leads Cal State Fullerton (6-4-4, 2-1-1) by just a point in the standings and UC San Diego (3-6-4, 2-2-0) by two with five regular season matches remaining. Two wins from Cal Poly this week allow the Mustangs to match their 2007 counterparts for the program’s lengthiest unbeaten run at the Division I level. Featuring one of the nation’s stingiest defenses, Cal Poly leads the Big West and ranks 12th among NCAA Division I programs in goals against average (0.69) and 15th in fewest goals conceded (nine, though five are penalties). Undefeated in five home games, Cal Poly has won just once in eight road matchups this season. Winners of two of its last three to climb to fifth in the Big West table, UC San Diego has conceded 22 goals this season – the second highest total among conference programs and three behind leader Cal State Fullerton. Having also scored a Big West best 29 goals, Cal State Fullerton visits UC Riverside Wednesday before hosting Cal Poly.
CAL POLY VERSUS UC SAN DIEGO: Facing the Tritons for just the fourth time at the Division I level, Cal Poly has prevailed in both home matchups against UC San Diego as a Big West opponent, but sustained a 4-3 setback in the lone road matchup on Oct. 15, 2022.
CAL POLY VERSUS CAL STATE FULLERTON: The Mustangs look to overturn a five-match slide at Cal State Fullerton with Cal Poly’s last road victory against the Titans a 2-0 decision on Sept. 28, 2012. Cal Poly prevailed last season at home, 5-0, to help secure a Big West Championship berth. Cal State Fullerton leads the Division I series, 21-16-1.
MCCUNE IN FRAME: Having conceded just once from open play during his previous 797 minutes and allowed nothing in the last 487 minutes, junior goalkeeper Nicky McCune enters Wednesday’s match at UC San Diego leading the Big West and ranked fifth among NCAA goalkeepers with six solo shutouts, eighth in goals against average (0.62) and 17th in save percentage (.814). Overall this season, McCune – the Sept. 9 and 30 and Oct. 7 Big West Defensive Player of the Week selection – has allowed just four goals from open play (the remaining four against him being penalties). Earning his first career shutout in a season-opening, scoreless draw at San Francisco (Aug. 22), McCune produced successive clean sheets in home victories against San Jose State (Sept. 5) and Gonzaga (Sept. 8). After making a career best six saves in a 1-1 draw at Utah Tech (Sept. 16), he picked up successive shutouts in Cal Poly’s 2-0 home win against UC Santa Barbara (Sept. 28), 1-0 victory at UC Davis (Oct. 2) and scoreless draw at UC Santa Barbara (Oct. 6). His sixth shutout came at home to UC Riverside (Oct. 12).
Big West leading Cal Poly hits the road for two pivotal matches this week. Both at 7 p.m. Both on ESPN+:
— Cal Poly Men’s Soccer (@CPMensSoccer) October 14, 2024
10/16 at UC San Diego
10/19 at Cal State Fullerton#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/kKTkXFAdXJ
MAHONEY TOPS THE OFFENSIVE CHARTS: Second among Big West players with 30 shot attempts, freshman midfielder Quinn Mahoney’s 15 attempts on target this season have yielded a team leading three goals to help fuel the program’s nine-game unbeaten run. A redshirt during his first year on campus last season, Mahoney – a starter in 12 of 13 matches – also leads Cal Poly with four assists.
OFFENSE IN FOCUS: After failing to find the back of the opposition net in the first three matches this season, Cal Poly has scored 14 times in its last 10 outings. Ranked second among Big West programs in scoring margin (plus-0.39), Cal Poly has featured 10 different goalscorers already this season with sophomores Jackson Miller and Parker Owens joining list with goals versus Sacramento State (Oct. 9).
DEFENSE ON HISTORIC PACE: With junior Nicky McCune enjoying one of the finest goalkeeping seasons in program history, Cal Poly’s defense has recorded seven shutouts already – one behind the program season record accomplished five previous times (including last year). Cal Poly has conceded just 0.69 goals per match, well under the program record of 0.88 set in 2021, while nine total goals conceded remains on pace to break the mark of 17 allowed in 2011.
UP NEXT (OCT. 23/26): Three regular season matches will remain when the Mustangs return home to host UC Irvine on Wednesday, Oct. 23 with Cal Poly undefeated at Mustang Memorial Field this season and just one goal conceded – a penalty – in 450 minutes. With the seeding race for the Nov. 6, 9 and 16 Big West Championship taking shape, Cal Poly then visits CSUN on Saturday, Oct. 26. Kickoff on ESPN+ both evenings is 7 p.m.
ETC.: Cal Poly is in its 30th Division I season and 23rd as a Big West member … Cal Poly was selected fifth in the Aug. 19 release of the Big West Preseason Coaches poll … Cal Poly’s 1-0 setback at Oral Roberts (Aug. 29) and 3-2 loss at Tulsa (Sept. 1) marked the program’s first all-time games in the state of Oklahoma … Cal Poly’s 1-1 draw at Utah Tech (Sept. 16) marked the program’s first all-time matchup against the Trailblazers … the 9,657-fan attendance figure for Cal Poly’s 2-0 home victory against UC Santa Barbara (Sept. 28) marked the 33rd largest regular season figure in NCAA history and the second largest crowd in the nation this season by more than 3,000 fans … Cal Poly’s 2-0 home victory against UC Santa Barbara (Sept. 28) was its first against the Gauchos since 2018 and first against a ranked foe since a 2-1 decision versus No. 24 Loyola Marymount (Sept. 26, 2019) … the 9,985-fan figure for Cal Poly’s scoreless draw at UC Santa Barbara (Oct. 6) marked the largest collegiate soccer crowd in the nation this season and the 29th largest regular season figure in NCAA history … the draw at UCSB also helped Cal Poly cement its first unbeaten regular season against the rival Gauchos since 2015.
