Sacramento State
First-Place Cal Poly Hosts Sacramento State Wednesday, UC Riverside Saturday
10/8/2024 11:39:00 AM | Men's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Enjoying its lengthiest unbeaten run in 17 years, the Cal Poly men’s soccer program – undefeated and unscored upon through three home matches at Mustang Memorial Field at Spanos Stadium – hosts Sacramento State on Wednesday, Oct. 9 and UC Riverside on Saturday, Oct. 12. Both match kick off at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ for Cal Poly (4-3-4, 1-0-1), which moved into an early four-way tie atop the Big West standings on four points with a scoreless draw at fellow co-leader UC Santa Barbara (Oct. 6). Featuring the Big West’s stingiest defense alongside UC Santa Barbara with just eight goals conceded (four of which are penalties), Cal Poly’s seven-match unbeaten streak is the program’s longest since an 11-game stretch in 2007. Two victories this week would also match Cal Poly’s 2007 squad for the best start to a Big West campaign (10 points from the initial 12). Unbeaten in six of its last seven, Sacramento State (4-5-2, 1-1-0) sits just a point behind Cal Poly in the Big West standings following a 2-1 home win versus UC Riverside (Oct. 5). Having scored just nine times in nine matches – the fewest of any Big West program – UC Riverside owns just one point from two conference matches after an opening-day draw at CSUN. The Highlanders host UC Irvine Wednesday before visiting Cal Poly.
CAL POLY VERSUS SACRAMENTO STATE: Cal Poly owns a 15-10-5 Division I series edge against Sacramento State, but seeks its first victory against the Hornets since 2019 following road draws in 2021 and 2023 and a 2022 home loss.
CAL POLY VERSUS UC RIVERSIDE: The Mustangs have lost three of their last four home matches to UC Riverside and, overall, Cal Poly looks for its first victory against the Highlanders since a 3-1 home decision on Sept. 28, 2017. The Mustangs lead the Division I series, 16-11-4.
MCCUNE IN FRAME: Having conceded just once from open play during his previous 626 minutes and allowed nothing in the last 316 minutes, junior goalkeeper Nicky McCune enters Wednesday’s match with Sacramento State ranked seventh among NCAA goalkeepers with five solo shutouts, 20th in goals against average (0.73) and 21st in save percentage (.805). 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 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).
Back at home this week where the first-place Mustangs are undefeated and unscored upon.
— Cal Poly Men’s Soccer (@CPMensSoccer) October 7, 2024
Both at 7 p.m.
Both on ESPN+.
10/9 vs. Sacramento State
10/12 vs. UC Riverside#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/nx9QpgXbCu
MAHONEY TOPS THE SCORING CHART: Third among Big West players with 25 shot attempts, freshman midfielder Quinn Mahoney’s 12 attempts on target this season have yielded goals in three of Cal Poly’s last six matches to help fuel the program’s seven-game unbeaten run. A redshirt during his first year on campus last season, Mahoney – one of six Mustangs to start all 11 matches – also co-leads Cal Poly with three assists alongside sophomore defender Parker Owens.
OFFENSE IN FOCUS: After failing to find the back of the opposition net in the first three matches this season, Cal Poly has scored 11 times in its last eight outings. Ranked second among Big West programs in scoring margin (plus-0.27), Cal Poly has featured eight different goalscorers already this season with junior forward Oren Stuppel joining list with the game-winning strike at UC Davis (Oct. 2)
UP NEXT (OCT. 16/19): Five regular season matches will remain when Cal Poly begins its final regular season road trip at UC San Diego on Wednesday, Oct. 16 before completing the swing at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, Oct. 19. Kickoff on ESPN+ is 7 p.m. both nights for Cal Poly, which is undefeated in three straight road matches, but won just once away from home in eight attempts this season.
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.
With back-to-back shutouts to open Big West play, junior goalkeeper Nicky McCune was named @mechanicsbank Cal Poly Student-Athlete of the Week on Monday.#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/fMj00tHXGa
— Cal Poly Men’s Soccer (@CPMensSoccer) October 7, 2024
