By William Jack, Oct. 10, 2023
Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s soccer team delivered a resounding 2-0 upset over the previously unbeaten Cal Poly Humboldt Lumberjacks in its conference opener Sept. 29 in Arcata, California.
The match displayed standout offensive performances and a commitment to defending the back line to hold off Humboldt’s typically prolific offense.
The Broncos began the game with two headers off corner kicks, one of which Humboldt goalkeeper Carson Thomson-Terrel managed to save while the other went just wide.
The match turned into a standstill for much of the first half as the teams aggressively fought for possession, resulting in seven fouls over the course of just 15 minutes.
Despite both sides netting several corner kicks later in the half, neither offense managed to test their opponent’s keeper. While CPP showed some promise in the 44th minute with back-to-back shots by forwards Bridget Carbonneau and Jaclyn Cuevas, the game ultimately remained scoreless as the first half came to a close.
In the second half, the Broncos finally broke the deadlock within 48 seconds of the restart. Immediately after kickoff, CPP rushed toward the Lumberjacks’ backline, netting a corner in the process. Forward Tara Oper’s arching corner kick reached forward Melanie Harradine, whose pass set up Cuevas to tap the ball into the bottom right corner, marking Cuevas’ fifth goal of the season and ending Humboldt’s 452-minute shutout streak.
Oper played a pivotal role in the team’s success and emphasized the importance of seizing scoring opportunities when they come up, especially when the team struggles to consinstently coordinate their attacks.
“We’ve been struggling just getting numbers in the back post,” said Oper, “I was like, ‘I see someone there. I’m just going to hit it there.’ I just had a feeling, I knew someone was going to be on it.”
CPP got a chance to extend its lead in the 69th minute after a Lumberjack defender handled the ball in her own defensive box, resulting in a penalty kick.
After a tense few seconds, Cuevas converted the penalty, securing her sixth goal of the season.
In the closing minutes of the match, however, the Broncos faced their biggest obstacle yet after the referee awarded Humboldt a penalty kick. Despite Lumberjack forward Frida Duran Arellano’s strong strike at goal, CPP goalkeeper Bella Hara stretched to deflect the shot out for a corner, maintaining CPP’s 2-0 lead. Two minutes later, the match ended with a decisive CPP victory.
While Hara played a stellar role in securing the shutout victory, she stressed that her defensive line is equally important to the team’s success.
“The line was absolutely phenomenal today,” said Hara, “And this was the best team effort that we’ve ever had to get the shutout.”
When asked about her approach to saving Humboldt’s penalty kick, Hara said she had been watching the player shooting the penalty kick the whole game. She tended to pass across her body so she felt she would shoot the same way.
CPP’s head coach Jay Mason lauded the team’s communication and highlighted the growth and impact of Cuevas, who played a pivotal role in the match by scoring both goals.
“The biggest thing I have really enjoyed with Jackie is that she has really grown out these six, seven months and really wants to be an impact for this team and really make a difference in games,” said Mason.
Mason also emphasized the significance of having players who can create opportunities, stating that it is important that they have someone that can win those one-on-one matchups.
“I’m really proud of our team for especially beating a National League team,” Oper added. “And going into Conference undefeated. I really believe we can do something very special.”
Two days after the match against Humboldt, the Broncos took on Sonoma State for their second away match of the regular season, ultimately winning the match 1-0. CPP then hosted Chico State Oct. 6 and Stanislaus State Oct. 8, winning the matches 2-1 and 3-1 respectively to bring their conference record to flawless 4-0. The Broncos will next face Cal State LA at home Thursday, Oct. 12.
Feature image courtesy of CPP Athletics
Feature image shows the Broncos facing Chico State Oct. 6.
