Sacramento State
Big West Race Intensifies as Mustangs Visit Sacramento State Wednesday, Host UCSB Saturday
10/14/2025 10:31:00 AM | Men's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Just one point separates the Cal Poly men’s soccer program from top spot in the Big West standings as the Mustangs visit Sacramento State on Wednesday, Oct. 15 (3 p.m.). The Mustangs then renew the Blue-Green rivalry Saturday, Oct. 18 (4 p.m.) when hosting UC Santa Barbara, which leads the Big West on eight points alongside Cal State Bakersfield. The Big West’s top-scoring side with 23 goals, Cal Poly (5-4-4, 2-1-1) moved to seven points in the table – alongside CSUN – following a 4-0 home win against UC San Diego (Oct. 11). Sacramento State (1-9-3, 0-3-1), sitting bottom of the table on one point, has conceded a Big West high 29 goals while ranking 206th among 210 NCAA Division I programs with a minus-20 goal differential. UC Santa Barbara (4-4-5, 2-0-2), meanwhile, visits ninth-place UC San Diego before facing Cal Poly.
CAL POLY VERSUS SACRAMENTO STATE: Behind goals from juniors Jackson Miller, Diego Guerra and Parker Owens, the Mustangs topped Sacramento State at home last fall, 3-1. Unbeaten in the last three visits to Sacramento State, Cal Poly leads the all-time series, 16-10-5.
CAL POLY VERSUS UC SANTA BARBARA: Following a non-conference scoreless draw at UC Santa Barbara (Sept. 27), Cal Poly looks to extend its unbeaten run against the rival Gauchos to four straight for the first time since 2016-18. Cal Poly’s most frequent opponent at the Division I level, UC Santa Barbara leads the series, 31-16-12.
CENTRAL COAST SERIES A TIGHTLY CONTESTED RIVALRY: Twenty-five of the last 34 matches between Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara have been decided by one goal or drawn. Seven of Cal Poly’s nine victories in the last 36 attempts against UC Santa Barbara have been a one-goal triumph. Just four times since 2007 has one side scored as many as three goals against the other (Cal Poly’s 4-1 home victory versus the Gauchos to close 2017 marked the first time since Nov. 9, 2001 that one team had slipped four goals past the other). The Mustangs are undefeated at home against the Gauchos in 10 of the last 15 years while UC Santa Barbara has lost exactly once at home to Cal Poly in the last 27 matchups at Harder Stadium.
Mustangs hit the halfway point of the Big West schedule this week, visiting Sacramento State on Wednesday, Oct. 15 before renewing the Blue-Green rivalry - this time for points! - against UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Oct. 18.#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/dBxhCuysXw
— Cal Poly Men’s Soccer (@CPMensSoccer) October 13, 2025
CAL POLY-UC SANTA BARBARA MATCHUP REMAINS THE CENTRAL COAST TOP SPORTING ATTRACTION: The best-attended sporting events annually in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, the Cal Poly-UC Santa Barbara series has drawn 35 of the top 75 regular season crowd figures in NCAA history (nearly half) with all matches occurring during the previous 18 seasons. The matchup at Mustang Memorial Field at Spanos Stadium has sold out all 11,075 seats in 11 of the last 16 seasons. The 26 combined matches between Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara during the last 14 years comprise 26 of the 34 highest attended collegiate soccer games in the United States – including NCAA Tournament and College Cup matches. Since the start of the 2007 season, 352,368 total spectators and an average of 9,523 fans per match have witnessed Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara clash on 37 occasions.
HOME SWEET HOME: Cal Poly enters Saturday’s matchup with UC Santa Barbara unbeaten in 14 of its previous 15 home games at Mustang Memorial Field – a streak dating to 2023. Cal Poly’s program record, 13-game home unbeaten run was snapped with a 2-0 setback to Cal State Fullerton (Oct. 8) before the Mustangs defeated UC San Diego (Oct. 11) at home, 4-0. During the last 15 home matches, Cal Poly has conceded just eight times and recorded nine shutouts.
TOTAL FOOTBALL: After scoring 19 times in 19 matches last fall, Cal Poly has found the back of the opposition net a Big West best 23 times already to rank 31st among 210 NCAA Division I programs. Eleven different Mustangs have scored through the initial 13 games with senior midfielder Bakuena Ramakatsa, junior forward Jack Civitts, sophomore forward Finn Linas and freshman defender Tanner Casey producing their first goals as Mustangs. With freshman defender Michael Vick leading the Big West and ranked 36th among NCAA Division I players with five assists, 10 separate Mustangs have registered at least one assist this year.
One more look at Tanner Casey's fourth goal of 2025 to close Saturday's 4-0 win against UC San Diego!#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/g6yGUUH4M8
— Cal Poly Men’s Soccer (@CPMensSoccer) October 12, 2025
DEFENSE IN FOCUS: Allowing six goals in its opening four matches, Cal Poly has conceded just six times in the last nine games. Five of the program’s six shutouts this fall have occurred since a home draw against No. 20 San Francisco (Sept. 11). Two of the 12 total goals allowed have been penalties.
MUSTANG GOLDEN BOOT RACE TAKES SHAPE: Enjoying his first two-goal game as a Mustang during Cal Poly’s 8-0 home victory against Utah Tech (Sept. 18), sophomore forward Quinn Mahoney has already matched his four-goal haul from last fall. Freshman defender Tanner Casey, who scored three times in his initial four appearances, added a fourth goal during Cal Poly’s 4-0 home win against UC San Diego as the duo rank second among Big West scorers. Mahoney – the reigning Big West Freshman of the Year honoree – leads Cal Poly with 18 shot attempts and ranks second in the Big West with 10 points. Casey, helping Cal Poly achieve six shutouts at one end of the pitch, is third with nine points.
SEAN MCGOAL: Missing the entirety of the 2024 season through injury, junior forward Sean McTague has returned this year with goals to fuel wins against Utah Tech (Sept. 18), at San Diego State (Sept. 21) and the 86th-minute, game-winner versus UC Davis (Oct. 1). A 2022 Big West All-Freshman Team selection, McTague ranks sixth among conference goalscorers.
MCCUNE IN FRAME: Without just four goals allowed in his previous 645 minutes and only 10 conceded from open play in 1,158 minutes this season, senior Nicky McCune – the Sept. 9 Big West Defensive Player of the Week honoree – ranks first among Big West goalkeepers in total minutes, second with five solo shutouts and a 0.93 goals against average and third with a .739 save percentage. McCune has twice recorded a season best five saves at California Baptist (Aug. 30) and Air Force (Sept. 5). A starter in 33 of 36 collegiate outings, McCune ranks second in program history with a 0.93 career goals against average, fourth with 13 career shutouts and fifth with a .765 save percentage.
MCCUNE, OWENS NAMED TO HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST: For the first time in Cal Poly history, multiple Mustangs were named to a Hermann Trophy Watch List as senior goalkeeper Nicky McCune and junior defender Parker Owens earned Aug. 21 candidacy for collegiate national player of the year recognition. Among the 29 standouts named, Cal Poly joined Cornell as the only programs – among more than 200 Division I squads – with two candidates. A total of 15 players will be named 2025 Hermann Trophy semifinalists on Dec. 9 at the conclusion of NCAA Division I All-America voting. From that list, three players will be voted as finalists with the 2025 recipient announced Jan. 9, 2026, at the historic Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
ETC.: Cal Poly’s 8-0 home victory against Utah Tech (Sept. 18) established new Division I program records for total goals, margin of victory and individual assists (seven) … junior forward Jack Civitts was named Sept. 22 Big West Offensive Player of the Week after scoring against Utah Tech and producing Cal Poly’s first three-assist game in 17 seasons … Cal Poly saw a program record 13-match home unbeaten run at Mustang Memorial Field snapped with a 2-0 loss to Cal State Fullerton (Oct. 8).
