No. 20 San Francisco
Cal Poly Hosts No. 20 USF Thursday on ESPN+ in 2025 Home Opener
9/10/2025 11:23:00 AM | Men's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Following a four-match road trip to begin the year, the Cal Poly men’s soccer program hosts 20th-ranked San Francisco for its Thursday, Sept. 11 home opener at Mustang Memorial Field. Kickoff on ESPN+ is 7 p.m. for Cal Poly (1-3-0), which continues the home stand Sunday, Sept. 14 versus Saint Mary’s (4 p.m.). After starting 2025 with successive 2-0 setbacks at San Jose State (Aug. 21) and California Baptist (Aug. 30), Cal Poly handed Air Force a 3-0 defeat (Sept. 5). The Mustangs, however, were edged 2-1 at Denver (Sept. 8) to close their initial road trip. San Francisco (4-1-0) enters Thursday’s match having won three straight, conceding just one goal in its last 291 minutes. San Francisco’s lone blemish is a 3-2 loss at No. 11 Indiana (Aug. 24) – a matchup the Dons led 2-0 after 19 minutes. Saint Mary’s (0-3-2), meanwhile, seeks its first win of 2025 after most recently falling at No. 8 Stanford, 3-1 (Sept. 9).
CAL POLY VERSUS SAN FRANCISCO: The Mustangs maintain a 3-2-2 Division I series advantage against San Francisco after sustaining a season-opening, scoreless draw last fall. Cal Poly has won all three home matches against San Francisco, most recently downing the Dons on Sept. 6, 2021 (3-0).
CAL POLY VERSUS SAINT MARY’S: The Gaels have won three of the last four matchups with Cal Poly – including a 2-0 home victory against the Mustangs last fall. Cal Poly’s series win was a 2-1 road decision on Aug. 30, 2021. Saint Mary’s leads the Division I series, 7-6-0.
HOME SWEET HOME: Cal Poly takes a nine-match home unbeaten streak into Thursday’s matchup against San Francisco with the Mustangs having conceded just three times and recorded six shutouts since their last setback at Mustang Memorial Field – a 1-0 decision to rival UC Santa Barbara on Oct. 15, 2023.
OFFENSE IN FOCUS: Held without a goal for the initial 180 minutes of the year, Cal Poly exploded for three goals at Air Force as freshman defender Tanner Casey (12’) recorded first collegiate goal, sophomore midfielder Rylan Firouznam (14’) scored for the first time in two seasons and senior forward Oren Stuppel (40’) opened his account. During Cal Poly’s 2-1 setback at Denver (Sept. 8), the program’s leading returning scorer – sophomore forward Quinn Mahoney – scored his fifth career goal.
MUSTANGS RETURN TO NATIONAL TELEVISION:Hosting its first nationally televised match in more than a decade at Mustang Memorial Field, Cal Poly’s Wednesday, Oct. 1 Big West opener against UC Davis will be broadcast on ESPNU. The game marks a re-match between the two sides from last fall’s Big West Championship semifinal that finished 1-1. UC Davis, however, eliminated Cal Poly on penalties before defeating UC Santa Barbara in the final.
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.
LOOKING AHEAD: Cal Poly’s three-game home stand concludes Thursday, Sept. 18 as Utah Tech enjoys its first visit to Mustang Memorial Field after a 1-1 draw last season. The Mustangs then visit San Diego State on Sunday, Sept. 21.
We're baaaaack! After a season-opening, four-match road trip, Cal Poly returns home to host ... @USFDonsMSoccer (Thursday, 7 p.m.)@SMC_MSoccer (Sunday, 4 p.m.)#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/yh8ognYWf5
— Cal Poly Men’s Soccer (@CPMensSoccer) September 9, 2025
