By Jacob Rodriguez, Dec. 10, 2024
Cal Poly Pomona women’s soccer secured a victory over Western Washington University in the second round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association West Regional, while the men’s NCAA run ends in the second round to Midwestern State.
This was the women’s first NCAA Division II Tournament appearance since 2019 and the second under Head Coach Jay Mason.
CPP opened with Western Washington in the second round of the NCAA tournament after receiving a first-round bye due to earning the No.1 seed in the region.
For the first 10 minutes of the game, neither team got any opportunities to gain momentum on offense, with the first shot recorded by CPP’s midfielder Marisa Salazar.
Despite the Broncos generating seven shots to the Vikings, they could not find the net in the first half.
The first half ended in a deadlock 0-0, with both teams creating a few chances but struggling to break down the opposing defenses.
“We knew that Western is an experienced group in these types of games,” said Mason. “We knew we were going to have to bring some energy to the game, and they’re such a hardworking, talented group that for us to be on. We had to limit the amount of mistakes that we made in the game.”
In the second half, the Broncos wasted no time setting the tone.
Forward Tara Oper sent a cross to the box that Salazar took full advantage of and, with a right-footed strike gave the Broncos an early 1-0 lead in the half at the 49-minute mark.
“It feels great to score, but I was just in the right place at the right time,” said Salazar. “It took a full team effort getting the ball up to Tara crossing it in, and a little deflection, and I just stayed composed throughout the shot.”
The Broncos’ defense held the Vikings to two shots in the second half, clearing the ball every chance and allowing no room for their opponent to breathe.
Goalkeeper Bella Hara played an essential role, registering three crucial saves, each ensuring the Broncos’ slim lead was protected.
“I knew that my defense had my back no matter what and that they only had three shots on goal the entire game,” said Hara. “I also just happened to be set in the right place; my reactions were off a bit, but credit to everybody who put their body on the line.”
With this win, the Broncos advance to the Sweet 16 to face the defending NCAA DII champions Point Loma Nov. 30.
The Broncos, who had previously beaten Point Loma 1-0 earlier in the season, took the lead at the 15th minute with a goal from Salazar.
Despite a strong first half, in which CPP recorded five shots to Point Loma’s three, the Sea Lions responded after halftime, equalizing at 47:13 to tie the match at 1-1.
In overtime, where the first team to score would win (golden goal rule), forward Angelina Rivas scored the game-winning goal in the 96th minute, sending the Broncos into Elite Eight and becoming West Regional Champions for the first time since 1999
CPP will face Colorado School of Mines Dec. 7 at Kellogg Stadium.
The men’s team began its NCAA Tournament run with a first-round matchup against Westmont Nov. 22.
The Broncos grabbed an early lead as forward Sam Lena rounded his defender, pressing forward into the penalty box on the left side before crossing it over to midfielder Mike Moser. Moser sent a left-footed strike to give the Broncos an early advantage 1-0 at 1:09.
The Bronco’s attack on offense continued with forward Mads Frederiksen intercepting a corner kick attempt from Westmont, which would lead a counter-attack driving down their opponents before his right-footed shot was denied by goalkeeper Mario Floriano in the seventh minute.
“We started strong and finished strong,” said Head Coach Matt O’Sullivan. “We didn’t play our best. I think we ran out of steam a lot, even though we played a lot of players and lots of minutes, the injuries held us back. It was a tough game, but we managed to figure out a way to win the game.”
Lena took a short pass from midfielder Woody Angell and made his way to the box area before taking a left-footed shot that was also saved by Floriano in the 18th minute.
Westmont tied the game at 20:17 when Daniel Tuscano lofted a long ball from the right side, which Cash Anderholt sent back across the middle of six-yard box where Warriors’ forward Conner Lynch was waiting and would tie the game 1-1.
Both teams combined for 12 shots, with CPP and Westmont recording six shots in the first half.
The second half proved to be a different story.
Westmont wasted no time putting pressure on the Broncos’ defense, with a shot by forward Luis Cortes’s shot saved by CPP goalkeeper Luke Garciduenas.
Despite the Broncos outshooting their opponents 11-9, they struggled to find the net throughout the second half.
Tri-Captain and defender Fin Jackson sent a long ball to Lena, who drove down the field to cross it into the penalty box Frederiksen put away for the game-winner, giving the Broncos a 2-1 victory.
O’Sullivan highlighted the team’s success, which propelled them to move onto the second round.
“The key was turning them,” said O’Sullivan. “We knew either on a counterattack or in possession we needed to turn the opposition, and we managed to turn them.”
The Broncos moved onto the second round to face Midwestern State as they looked to punch their ticket to the third round.
CPP got off to a slow start, with their offense unable to gain momentum throughout the first half, only recording two shots to the Mustangs’ nine.
The Broncos’ first shot on the frame had come just before the intermission, but Angell’s attempt was saved by Mustangs’ goalkeeper Daniel Robles.
The Mustangs took an early 1-0 lead at 23:35, with defender Jaime Villagomez lofting a long ball to forward Gabriel Gacovicaj. Gacovicaj rounded his defender and sent a right-footed strike that found the back of the net.
The Broncos’ first shot on the frame had come just before the intermission, but the Mustangs’ goalkeeper saved Angell’s attempt.
“We just ran out of energy,” said O’Sullivan. “They came out strong, they’re at home, and they have rest, and we just looked dead on our feet.”
In the second half, the Mustangs’ scoring continued as Mere Escobar tapped the ball into the box, allowing Gabriel Gacovicaj to give the team a 2-0 lead.
Despite CPP improving to eight shots, the offense struggled to find the net throughout the game, as MSU would outshoot CPP 21-10.
Escobar put away the dagger in the 82nd minute to secure a 3-0 victory and knock CPP out of the NCAA tournament.
The No. 23-ranked Broncos concluded their remarkable 2024 season with a 13-2-7 record and were crowned the California Collegiate Athletic Association regular-season co-champions.
O’Sullivan highlighted the team’s highs and lows, but also added optimism for the 2025 season.
“We won the conference, and we went to the final, unfortunately losing on penalties,” said O’Sullivan. “We did a great job dealing with adversity and injuries all season, and I’m proud of the guys.”
Feature image courtesy of Will MacNeil
