San Francisco
Mustangs Open 2024 at San Francisco Thursday, Saint Mary’s Sunday
8/19/2024 2:48:00 PM | Men's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Returning 11 letterwinners, six outfield starters and 59 percent of its goal production from a year ago, the Cal Poly men’s soccer program begins its 30th Division I campaign, the 2024 regular season and a four-game road trip when visiting San Francisco on Thursday, Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Saint Mary’s on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 5 p.m. Opening preseason training camp on Aug. 6 under the direction of second-year head coach Oige Kennedy, Cal Poly also returned four All-Big West selections from 2023 while welcoming 14 newcomers during the offseason – including two Division I transfers and nine freshmen. Having dropped four straight season openers, Cal Poly looks to begin the year with a victory against a Division I opponent for the first time since edging UNLV on Aug. 28, 2015 (2-1).
PRESEASON IN PERSPECTIVE: Contesting just two exhibition matches ahead of the upcoming season, Cal Poly first handed Pacific a 5-1 setback (Aug. 11) before sustaining a 2-0 loss at No. 5 Stanford (Aug. 17). Against Pacific, Cal Poly fell behind in the 14th minute before receiving goals from junior forward Luke Schaefer (26’), sophomore defender Joaquin Torres (40’), junior midfielder Quinn Mahoney (79’) and a 17-minute, second-half brace from freshman forward Finn Linas (72’, 89’).
CAL POLY VERSUS SAN FRANCISCO: Facing San Francisco for just the sixth time at the Division I level, Cal Poly seeks its first road victory against the Dons after sustaining setbacks in 2000 (3-1) and 2022 (60) and a scoreless draw in 2019. Cal Poly’s last victory against San Francisco was a 3-0 home triumph (Sept. 6, 2021). The Mustangs lead the all-time series, 3-2-1.
CAL POLY VERSUS SAINT MARY’S: The Mustangs last visited Saint Mary’s on Aug. 30, 2021, securing a 2-1 victory against a Gaels squad receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. Saint Mary’s won the last matchup at Cal Poly on Sept. 17, 2022 (1-0) to even the Division I series, 6-6-0.
UP NEXT (AUG. 29/SEPT. 1): Cal Poly visits the state of Oklahoma for the first time in program history as the Mustangs visit Oral Roberts on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 6:15 p.m. PT and Tulsa on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 5 p.m. PT. Cal Poly’s 5-3, home-opening setback to Oral Roberts last season was the program’s first all-time matchup with the Golden Eagles while the Mustangs have never previously played Tulsa.
ETC.: Cal Poly was selected fifth in the Aug. 19 release of the Big West Preseason Coaches poll.
Cal Poly opens the 2024 regular season - its 30th as a Division I program - when visiting San Francisco on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Saint Mary's on Sunday at 5 p.m. ESPN+ and live stats available for both Bay Area matchups.#RideHighhttps://t.co/ghMbhNOkx1
— Cal Poly Men’s Soccer (@CPMensSoccer) August 19, 2024
