UC Irvine
First-Place Cal Poly Hosts UC Irvine Wednesday, Visits CSUN Saturday
10/22/2024 10:11:00 AM | Men's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Sitting in a three-way tie for first place atop the Big West table with three regular season matchdays remaining, the Cal Poly men’s soccer program hosts UC Irvine on Wednesday, Oct. 23 before visiting CSUN on Saturday, Oct. 26. Both matches kick off at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ for Cal Poly (6-4-5, 3-1-2), unbeaten in 10 of its last 11 outings and having rejoined Cal State Bakersfield (6-3-4, 3-1-2) and UC Santa Barbara (9-3-3, 3-1-2) in first place on 11 points following a 1-0 victory at Cal State Fullerton (Oct. 19). Three other programs trail the trio on nine points – including UC Irvine (6-7-1, 3-3-0), which has won back-to-back matches to stay in the Big West regular season title race. CSUN (2-7-5, 0-4-2), meanwhile, sits bottom on two points with the Matadors seven adrift of the Big West Championship’s final spot and facing postseason elimination with a loss at UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday. Featuring one of the nation’s stingiest defenses, Cal Poly leads the Big West and ranks eighth among NCAA Division I programs in goals against average (0.67) and 12th in fewest goals conceded (10, though five are penalties). Cal Poly remains undefeated at Mustang Memorial Field this season and with just one goal conceded – a penalty – in 450 minutes.
CAL POLY VERSUS UC IRVINE: The Mustangs seek just their second victory against the Anteaters in the last seven matchups dating to the 2016 season. UC Irvine prevailed in last fall’s meeting at home, 2-0, and leads the all-time series, 20-11-8.
CAL POLY VERSUS CSUN: The Mustangs are undefeated in the last four matchups against CSUN with three victories since 2019. Prevailing in last season’s matchup at home, 2-0, behind late goals from forward Conner Lisenbee and midfielder Diego Guerra, Cal Poly trails in the Division I series, 18-13-8.
MCCUNE IN FRAME: Having conceded just once during his last seven appearances and 667 minutes, junior goalkeeper Nicky McCune enters Wednesday’s match with UC Irvine leading the Big West and ranked fourth among NCAA goalkeepers with seven solo shutouts, eighth in goals against average (0.61) and 13th in save percentage (.824). Overall this season, McCune – the Sept. 9 and 30 and Oct. 7 Big West Defensive Player of the Week selection – has allowed just five 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) while the seventh occurred in a 1-0 victory at Cal State Fullerton (Oct. 19).
Back in first place with three regular season matches remaining, starting with ...
— Cal Poly Men’s Soccer (@CPMensSoccer) October 21, 2024
10/23 vs. UC Irvine
10/26 at CSUN
... both at 7 p.m. Both on ESPN+.#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/x7H07D0x1w
MAHONEY TOPS THE OFFENSIVE CHARTS: The Big West’s co-leader with 37 shot attempts, freshman midfielder Quinn Mahoney’s 16 attempts on target this season have yielded a team leading three goals to help fuel the program’s first-place showing. A redshirt during his first year on campus last season, Mahoney – a starter in 14 of 15 matches – also leads Cal Poly and ranks seventh in the Big West 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 15 times in its last 12 outings. Ranked second among Big West programs in scoring margin (plus-0.33), 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 eight shutouts already – two behind the program season record accomplished in 2007. Cal Poly has conceded just 0.67 goals per match, well under the program record of 0.88 set in 2021, while 10 total goals conceded remains on pace to break the mark of 17 allowed in 2011.
UP NEXT (SATURDAY, NOV. 2): Cal Poly closes the regular season and looks to lock down a top seed for the Nov. 6, 9 and 15 Big West Championship when hosting Cal state Bakersfield for an 8 p.m. senior night matchup. Cal Poly has won six straight matchups against the Roadrunners since 2010 – including all three as a Big West opponent.
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 … Cal Poly’s nine-game unbeaten run from Sept. 5-Oct. 12 was the program’s lengthiest since a record 11-match stretch in 2007.
