4-3-2, 1-0-0
California Baptist
5-1-1, 0-1-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Baptist | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cal Poly | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Cal Poly Downs Unbeaten CBU in Big West Opener
9/23/2026 10:46:00 PM | Women's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Junior Sam Liaty buried a goal in the 69th minute as the Cal Poly women’s soccer team earned a 2-1 victory over California Baptist on Wednesday night in its Big West opener, handing the previously unbeaten Lancers their first loss of the season.
In their first home match at Spanos Stadium since Aug. 27, the Mustangs put forth an incredible effort for the rowdy fans in attendance, ending CBU’s claim as the only team in Division I to not allow a goal this season.
“A complete performance by our group,” head coach Bernardo Silva said after the match, “… we were really excited to be back at Spanos and to be welcomed like this by this community it’s special because when we talk about playing at home it’s about connecting, it’s about inspiring and it’s about entertaining, and we did all three tonight.”
With all 12 teams in the conference in action Wednesday to kickoff Big West play, Cal Poly (4-3-2, 1-0-0 BW) put themselves at the top of the table with the win, alongside UC San Diego, Cal State Fullerton and Utah Valley, who were all victorious on opening night.
Junior Miah Thomas and freshman Kate Nunes generated a couple dangerous chances early before the Mustangs finally broke through with less than five minutes remaining in the first half. Thomas sent a corner into the box that was brought down by junior Koko Harris in front of the net, played toward sophomore Farra Franklin and flicked onto freshman Madison Lujan, who nudged the ball past the Cal Baptist goalkeeper for her first collegiate goal. The assist for Harris was her first point as a Mustang and the third assist of her collegiate career after spending the previous two seasons at Eastern Washington. For Franklin, it was the second assist of her career and first point of the season in just her second match of the year after missing the previous six due to injury.
Cal Poly carried that 1-0 lead into halftime, but the Lancers (5-1-1, 0-1-0) fought back just over five minutes into the second half to level the match at 1-1.
After a surge by CBU to open the final 45 minutes of play, the Mustangs settled down and responded with a goal of their own that would end up being the game winner. Junior Mya Clarke blasted a ball from the backline about 70 yards from goal up the right side where junior Isis Salazar-Ortega settled the ball and then sliced a pass across the front of the net to Liaty, who sent a shot off the glove of the CBU keeper to the back of the goal. It was Liaty’s second goal this season and sixth of her career. Salazar-Ortega registered her first assist as a Mustang on the tally while Clarke earned her first point in a Cal Poly uniform with the secondary assist.
Clinging to a 2-1 advantage, Cal Poly did an excellent job defending and limiting the Lancers’ chances down the stretch to preserve the victory.
“I believe that gritty people and gritty teams, they’ll sustain and be more successful than talented people,” Silva said, “and we’ve developed a foundation over the last year and a half with our program that is now engrained, and we can fight and compete and give ourselves a chance to win every single match that we play.”
Cal Poly outshot CBU 12-4 in the match.
The Mustangs remain at home to host Long Beach State (6-1-3, 0-0-1 BW) at 6 p.m. Saturday for Alumni Weekend and Latino Heritage Night.
Team Stats
Madison Lujan (1)
Assisted By: Farra Franklin , Koko Harris
GOAL by CP Lujan, Madison Assist by Franklin, Farra and Harris, Koko.
40:45
Ava Lopez (1)
Assisted By: Anja Jestrovic
GOAL by CBU Lopez, Ava Assist by Jestrovic, Anja.
50:12
Sam Liaty (2)
Assisted By: Isis Salazar-Ortega , Mya Clarke
GOAL by CP Liaty, Sam Assist by Salazar-Ortega, Isis and Clarke, Mya.
68:44
