By Carlos Leano, Oct. 18, 2022
On Oct. 14, the Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s soccer team struggled to hit the net in a 1-0 loss to San Francisco State University, plagued by miscommunication and offside calls on the field.
CPP snapped their two-game winning streak with the loss and now stand in a four-way tie for first place with a conference record of 4-2-1.
Head coach Jay Mason, shared his feelings about the performance.
“Frustrated. I think we started well, had good energy, but there was no end product for us. We have to be able to take some of the positives from the beginning of the game and pull our chances away,” said Mason. “We had a miscommunication on the goal, and it’s a learning experience for our young team.”
Facing off against a San Francisco State team with only one win in the California Collegiate Athletic Association conference, midfielder Nicolle Villarreal explained why teams shouldn’t be brushed aside.
“This is a really strong conference. You can’t look down on any team, despite their record,” said Villarreal. “Every team is aggressive, has their own style of play, and we can’t underestimate anyone.”
The Broncos came racing out the gate, taking five shots and two corner kicks within the first 15 minutes of the match. It seemed like CPP’s momentum from their winning streak was carrying over to the beginning of this game, however they remained scoreless despite many opportunities.
The only score of the contest came by an own-goal in the 56th minute. A CPP defender tried to head a free kick away from the goal post, but the ball went the opposite way and into the net as goalkeeper Audrey Brown was off her line, trying to clear the ball out.
Midfielder Jessica Llamas and forward Tara Oper led the team in shot attempts, with Llamas taking three and Oper with two. Llamas had one on goal, while Oper’s were both on target.
Goalkeeper Audrey Brown allowed one goal and had two saves on the game.
Even though CPP outshot SF State 15-7 and held a 4-1 corner kick advantage, the Gators’ aggressive defense and strict formations were too much.
“Their defensive line pushed up a little higher than typical teams would, taking us a while to adjust,” said Villarreal.
With the pushed-up line, the Broncos struggled to get into a rhythm on the offensive side. In the first half, the referee called five offside penalties, taking their opportunities to score away and shifting the momentum toward the Gators.
Most of the playing time was held in the midfield and on the Broncos’ end, but short burst attacks from CPP kept the game energetic.
Forward Julia Lucero spoke about the offside penalties and how it affected the team.
“It’s definitely frustrating at times because you have the momentum of going forward. Then, you have to restart and reset your mind, but all you can do is look forward to the next one.”
During halftime, the team focused on the issue and tallied only two fouls the following half.
The Broncos kept the pace up with seven shot attempts in the second half, but still couldn’t get one past the Gators’ defense.
Coach Mason went more into detail of the team’s recurring struggle with staying onside.
“It’s something our forwards have struggled with all season long. I like their ambition to get in, but there has to be some discipline there so we can make the most of our chances. We get the ball in good areas, and one moment of not being aware on the field costs us that opportunity.”
They look ahead to Sunday in a marquee matchup at home against Sonoma State, a team that is also in the mix atop the CCAA standings. Kick-off is at 2 p.m., and the match can be livestreamed via the Broncos Athletics website or CCAA network.
Feature image by Carlos Leano
