For the past seven weeks the team has trained three to four times a week and has played more than 10 games. Courtesy Photo.

After a difficult season last year playing in the upper division of the West Coast Soccer Association, Cal Poly’s men’s club soccer advanced to the 16th National Campus Championship Series.

Finishing second in league this season behind the University of California, Santa Barbara is an improvement for the team after taking last place out of eight teams last fall. Last season was the first time the team played in an upper division league; aerospace engineering senior and keeper David Babka said the team wasn’t used to the level of competition last year. This season the team came out knowing what to expect, he said, ultimately gaining themselves a second-place name in the league.

The men’s team left for Phoenix, Ariz. on Tuesday to play in the tournament. Its first two pool-play matches are against the University of Minnesota and University of Illinois. Cal Poly’s team is one of 24 in the country who qualified to play in nationals.

Babka attributed the team’s success to the fact that most of them have played together since the club was founded in 2007. Eleven of the first division players have played together for three years. Industrial engineering senior and midfielder Spencer Martinez thinks this is the most successful year so far because of the team chemistry.

“The team’s clicking well. The level of commitment is really high,” he said.

Coach Johnny Costa said that after the team “did horrible last year,” economics junior and club president Matt Joanou rallied the team to improve this year.

“Matt really gave us focus and gave us a purpose. If it wasn’t for him we really wouldn’t be going to nationals this year,” Costa said.

Joanou and industrial technology senior Alex Strehl founded the club knowing the team would generate a large following but not expecting the turnout to be as great as it has been this season.

The level of dedication is high among the players. They’re expected to train during Week of Welcome, pulling double days of practice. For the past seven weeks the team has trained three to four times a week and has played more than 10 games.

“All the guys involved have put in so much time and effort to get to this point. It’s an exciting time for us. This is what we build the club to do. We want to always be a national competitor, a legacy. We hope will continue for years to come at Poly,” Joanou said.

He thinks the team has an advantage over other teams at nationals because of the number of club players.  With nearly three players for every position on the field, the team is prepared to play possibly six games in three days.

Since the club team is not a varsity team recognized by the Cal Poly athletics department, it has to run and fund their own team. Costa and Joanou estimate the trip will cost around $10,000. The team’s hotel rooms were paid for by an anonymous alumnus donation and the players held a movie night fundraiser to pay for tournament fees and travel expenses.

Martinez believes the amount of time players commit to keeping up the business and athletic parts of the program pays off in the end.

“We have made a lot of sacrifices for the team, but it’s so worth it. The climax is here and it’s definitely worth it,” he said.

At the beginning of this year, I had never written a sports story. My interest in organized sports had dropped off when I burnt out after my serious high school football career. When I was assigned a sports beat and more specifically soccer, I had mixed feelings.

I covered football, volleyball and soccer games and began to learn sports interviewing techniques, statistic analysis and how to be comfortable in the press box with the other “real” journalists.

Men’s soccer quickly and surprisingly became my favorite. I’d played soccer until I was 14 and then dropped it for what I thought was more glorious: high school football.  I hadn’t watched a competitive live soccer game since then.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun it was to watch the games. The Mustangs were quite competitive, the atmosphere, especially at the two Santa Barbara games, was dynamic and the flow of the game was something I appreciated after the start-and-stop games of football.

The quarter has been busy for me, and before I knew it, I was covering the Big West Conference semifinal playoff game between the Mustangs and the UC Irvine Anteaters.

The Anteaters beat Poly earlier in the year 2-1 and came out looking like it. Within the first couple of minutes, Irving Garcia, called by Mustangs head coach Paul Holocher, as “one of the best players in the west, if not the country,” lobbed a pass downfield to forward Carlos Aguilar, who headed it in right over Poly keeper Patrick McLain’s hands.

Poly was battling back the rest of the game. They certainly did not look like the team that had dominated UC Riverside the week before and were struggling to get shots on the goal. By the end of the game Poly had only taken six shots on goal compared with Irvine’s 21.

When Aguilar sunk a sudden death penalty kick in second overtime the Mustangs’ soccer season abruptly ended. The seniors on the team looked crestfallen, confused and almost hurt, as does any athlete after a major loss, especially when it is the last of a career.

For me, approaching these athletes, these faces, was a bit of an ordeal. How do you get someone to talk when they most obviously do not want to? Well, if you’re on deadline, you just have to. I told them they had a good season and “sorry about your loss” and then delved into the questions like a normal interview. Slowly, each one warmed up, came out of their funk and spoke clearly about the game. It seemed talking about the loss and the finality of the season made them feel better.

It is always hard to see your team out for the season and this was no exception. The season renewed my interest in organized sports and honed my interviewing and deadline-writing skills. Luckily, basketball season is already in swing. See you in Mott Gym.

David Zamora took a free kick a few yards out of the goal box and sent a tight curl off the left post and in. Photo by Daniela Orihuela-Gruber

The Cal Poly men’s soccer team (8-10-2) season came to a close last night against the UC Irvine Anteaters (14-6-0) in a double overtime, Big West semi-final 2-1 showdown at Alex G. Spanos stadium. The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos after defeating Cal State Northridge 1-0 last night, will now host the Anteaters at Harder Stadium for the Big West Conference Championships.

Coming into the game Cal Poly was ranked number two in the league with the Anteaters right on their heels at number three. The Anteaters showed their prowess at only 2:02 when forward Carlos Aguilar was lofted a shot by midfielder Irving Garcia which Aguilar headed over the outstretched hands of Mustangs keeper Patrick McLain. The early goal marked the first time the Mustangs had trailed in 652 minutes at home.

McLain said that although the goal was tough on him he tried to use it as a motivator.

“I tried to keep my head up and move past it,” McLain said. “I thought it helped give us something to fight for. It’s like someone giving you the first punch. OK we’re in it now.”

The Mustangs didn’t take a shot until 26:10 into the game but were able to capitalize on another opportunity minutes later. David Zamora took a free kick a few yards out of the goal box and sent a tight curl off the left post and in. Zamora said that it was helpful they were able to capitalize on the opportunity.

“This game I was lucky enough to put it away and get the tie,” he said. “At the moment it was really important.”

Zamora, with seven goals, ended the season as the Mustangs leading scorer.

The game became a offensive stalemate with both defenses shutting down the other’s offense whenever they got a chance. Zamora knew what he was up against and tried to play through it.

“Their back line is pretty big, It’s the Big West, that’s the way you play,” he said. “Their defenders are really tough and sometimes they kick you when the referee is not seeing.”

The game was physical throughout. There were six yellow cards and 23 total fouls one of which would lead to the Mustangs loss in the second double overtime, sudden-death period.

Mustangs midfielder Brian Jones was trying to stop an advance by Anteaters forward Spencer Thompson in the goal box and took him down, resulting in a penalty. Aguilar took the penalty kick and reminiscent of Zamora’s earlier goal, curved it into the left corner of the net past McLain’s outstretched hands.

“That last play is obviously going to haunt me for a while,” McLain said.

McLain had his work cut out for him throughout the game. The Anteaters spent significantly more time near the Mustangs’ goal. They took 21 shots on goal compared to Cal Poly’s six. McLain had a career high eight saves in the game.

Head coach Pal Holocher said he was proud of how his guys played but gave credit to a talented Irvine team.

“I just thought Irvine was more deserving team tonight,” he said. “We gave them way too many corner kicks, way too many throw-ins. They kept the ball better than us in the second half. They attacked better than us.”

Holocher said the team was disappointed they had to end the season with the loss but that they had a good future to look towards.

“I think we did well this year and I think the experience will bode well for us in the future,” he said. “You can’t rush experience and I think that’s what we got this year.”

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Cal poly awaits the NCAA selection show on Monday for a tournament berth. Photo by Nick Camacho- Mustang Daily

The Cal Poly women’s soccer team’s season comes to an end after penalty kicks once again. The Mustangs lost to UC Santa Barbara in the Big West Conference Championship in a shootout at Alex G. Spanos Stadium Sunday.

The Gauchos will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Cal Poly still has a shot to get into the tournament if they receive an at-large bid. The tournament brackets will be decided today at 5 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN News.

UCSB, the No. 3 seed, won two road games to claim the tournament championship, having first beat CSU Northridge 2-1 in Thursday’s semifinal.

“I think (Cal Poly is) on the outside looking in,” Santa Barbara head coach Paul Stumpf said. “Do I think they are a playoff caliber team? Yes.”

The Mustangs were first to get on the board Sunday when Morgan Miller got her second goal of the tournament in the 40th minute. After a series of passes between Tiffany Gummow and Bianca Burright on the left side of the field, Burright crossed the ball into the box, where it deflected off a UCSB defender to Miller, who put the ball past the goalie into the lower-right corner.

“I think the team played with a lot of heart,” Miller said. “I think we all really wanted this game.”

Stumpf said it would be hard to score points against the Mustangs and told his players that their defense had to be in top form to win.

“We’re gonna have to keep them under two because they are not gonna give up three,” Stumpf said.

The Gauchos evened the score in the 69th minute with a goal from Katy Roby. Roby received the ball in the middle of the field on the Mustang’s end and dribbled into the box and fired one past Mustang goalkeeper Coral Hoover from about 13 yards out. It was the first goal scored on Hoover and the Cal Poly defense since Oct. 4. The Mustangs hadn’t allowed a goal in 747 minutes, the longest streak in school history.

Hoover said she knows that she will get scored on every once and a while, and that knowledge helps her to be successful in the goal.

Both teams continued to have chances in the match but were unable to connect. UCSB’s Genelle Ives could have had a second goal for the Gauchos but was out of position when a cross came across the front of the net and hit her in the back of the leg.

Cal Poly, who scored both goals on set plays against UC Irvine, was unable to take advantage of the 11 corner kicks or the 10 free kicks they were awarded.

“We had our chances, and we just weren’t able to put the second goal in,” Miller said.

Neither team had a shot on goal in either overtime period but Cal Poly had a good opportunity in the 116th minute when Kristina Condon-Sherwood, who leads the team in assists, took a free kick from 39 yards out and put it just over the head of Julianne Grinstead.

Stumpf said that while they did want to win the game in overtime, he was confident that his team would be able to win in a shootout.

“I felt coming up here (Cal Poly) had a pretty good shot at it,” he said. “I felt like once we get to PKs the chances really kinda change to like 60-40 maybe in our favor.”

The Gauchos switched their goalie for the shootout, replacing Tammy Lenham with Ali Cutler. Cal Poly’s Whitney Sisler took the first penalty kick in the shootout and shot one just outside of the left post. One miss was all the Gauchos needed ,scoring on all five of their attempts, while Cal Poly was able to score on the other four shots.

Cal Poly head coach Alex Crozier said he thought his team played well but felt helpless during the shootout.

“Penalty kicks is just a crap shoot really,” he said.

Cal Poly was the No. 1 seed in the tournament after claiming the Big West regular season championship with a conference record of 7-1. The Mustangs defeated UC Irvine 2-0 at home Thursday evening to get to the tournament finals.

The Mustang’s season will be over if they do not receive an invitation to the tournament. Hoover said that going to the NCAA Tournament was one of the team goals at the beginning of the season.

“I’m crossing my fingers big, and I am praying and hoping, and I think the team deserves it with what we’ve done this season,” Miller said.

The Cal Poly men’s soccer team (8-8-1, 6-2-0 BWC) came out firing for a 3-0 shutout of the UC Riverside Highlanders (1-13-1, 0-6-1) on Wednesday. With the win Cal Poly maintains a tie for the lead in the Big West with UC Santa Barbara.

The Mustangs performed aggressively in the first half, scoring their first goal only 2:36 into the game. Junior forward Tim White put in the first goal for after an assist by junior forward David Zamora.

The Mustangs kept the ball on the Highlanders’ side of midfield, not allowing a Highlander shot on goal until the twenty-second minute of the game. The Mustangs passing and defensive strategy were a focus for the game this week, White said. He felt they were especially effective in the first half.

“We’ve been taking it one game at a time,” White said. “When you do that you don’t get overwhelmed by the pressures of the season,” he said.

The game marks the first even record the Mustangs have had all season.

The Mustang attack continued as freshman midfielder Michael Hocker got a yellow card on a loose ball for cleating the Highlander’s starting keeper Cody Suppe, who had to be taken to the sidelines for the rest of the half.

During Suppe’s absence, Cal Poly freshman midfielder Chris Gaschen rolled a shot over Riverside’s second string keeper, Ryan Schmitz, with an assist by senior forward Daniel Cumming. Mustangs head coach Paul Holocher said the first two goals were at good momentum-builders.

“We scored those goals at the two best possible times,” he said.

Gaschen’s goal was the first of his career as a Mustang. He added his second goal, and the third of the game, early in the second half after a botched Highlander pass back to goalkeeper Suppe, who had returned for the second half. The ball bounced off Suppe and left the goal unattended for a tap-in by Gaschen.

Gaschen credits the goals to getting more experience on the college playing field.

“I’ve gotten a lot more confident,” he said. “The first couple games I would have a touch, look up, and someone would steal the ball. Now it’s like touch-pass. I’m faster in my thinking.”

Other Mustangs put up career performances as well. Cal Poly junior goalkeeper Patrick McLain tied his career-high seven saves for the game. Coach Holocher said he was very happy with the shutout noting that he’s been pleased with McLain’s recent performances.

As the Mustangs maintained their lead, shoving matches and bickering between teams started to occur more frequently as the Highlanders tried to regain some momentum. A yellow card was given to Cal Poly junior defender Michael Gray for rough play. A red card and subsequent ejection was given to a Highlander assistant coach for being to vocal to the referees during the exchange that resulted in Gray’s yellow card.

When a team gets careless and reckless teams get dangerous, Holocher said.

“It’s a team that has nothing to lose,” he said. “They put more pressure on us the second half.”

The Mustangs will focus on their Halloween match with UC Davis before focusing on the game with their rivals, UCSB, Holocher said.

“One game at a time is what the team needs,” he said. “You need to try and get a little bit better each week.”

Wednesday’s match against the Gauchos will potentially be the last home game for Mustangs senior players and will also decide the top two places in the Big West Conference. If they win the next two games, the Mustangs will host a conference playoff game at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.