Utah Valley
Mustangs Visit Utah Valley Friday, Utah Tech Monday on ESPN+
9/12/2024 1:17:00 PM | Men's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO – The Cal Poly men’s soccer program plays its final two non-conference matches when visiting Utah Valley on Friday, Sept. 13 and Utah Tech on Saturday, Sept. 16. Kickoff both evenings on ESPN+ is 6 p.m. PT for Cal Poly (2-3-1), which looks to extend a two-match winning streak following back-to-back home shutouts of San Jose State (Sept. 5) and Gonzaga (Sept. 8). Without a goal through its initial three matches, Cal Poly has scored six times in the last three games and kept the opposition to just one goal from open play in the previous 422 minutes. Utah Valley (4-0-1), facing the fourth of five Big West opponents in Cal Poly, has conceded just four times in five matches and resumes action following shutout road triumphs at Florida Atlantic (Sept. 5) and Florida Gulf Coast (Sept. 8). First-time foe Utah Tech (1-3-1), meanwhile, most recently earned a 1-1 draw at No. 18 Portland (Sept. 8). The Trailblazers host Lindenwood Friday before welcoming Cal Poly.
CAL POLY VERSUS UTAH VALLEY: Cal Poly seeks its first all-time victory against Utah Valley after dropping a 1-0 road decision on Aug. 30, 2019 and settling for a 1-1 home draw on Sept. 12, 2023.
CAL POLY VERSUS UTAH TECH: Monday’s match marks Cal Poly’s first all-time matchup with Utah Tech.
OFFENSE IN FOCUS: Six goals for Cal Poly in 2024 and six distinct goalscorers as junior defender Nico Baltazar, freshman midfielder Quinn Mahoney and freshman forward Colin Pearce each registered their first goals as a Mustang during the program’s 3-0 home victory against Gonzaga (Sept. 8). Mahoney also co-leads Cal Poly with two assists, alongside defenders Jack Muoio and Parker Owens. As a program, Cal Poly tops all 10 Big West programs in total shots (78) and corner opportunities (37) while ranking second in shots per game (13.0) and shots on target (30).
MCCUNE IN FRAME: The Big West leader with three total shutouts after keeping clean sheets in home victories against San Jose State (Sept. 5) and Gonzaga (Sept. 8), junior Nicky McCune – the Sept. 9 Big West Defensive Player of the Week selection – has conceded just one goal from open play in his last 418 minutes. Overall this season, McCune has allowed just three from open play (the remaining three being penalties). Having dropped his goals against average to 1.01, McCune ranks third in the Big West.
UP NEXT (SATURDAY, SEPT. 28): Rivalry week, No. 1. Cal Poly completes Big West preparations when welcoming rival UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 3 p.m. Scheduled as a non-conference match, no points will be on offer as Cal Poly seeks its first home triumph against the Gauchos since 2018. The best-attended sporting events annually in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, the Cal Poly-UC Santa Barbara series has drawn 30 of the top 69 regular season crowd figures in NCAA history.
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 looks to extend its two-match winning streak when visiting Utah Valley on Friday, Sept. 13 and Utah Tech on Monday, Sept. 16. Both matches kick off at 6 p.m. PT on ESPN+.#RideHighhttps://t.co/8dusoWuuaB
— Cal Poly Men’s Soccer (@CPMensSoccer) September 12, 2024
