By Christian Rodarte, September 22, 2026
No. 2 nationally ranked Cal Poly Pomona women’s team soccer tied its pre-conference match 1-1 against No. 13 Concordia University Irvine Sept. 10 at Kellogg Stadium, keeping its undefeated streak alive.
CPP controlled possession from the opening whistle, creating 10 scoring opportunities and outshooting CUI 8-2 in the first half. Despite the opportunities created, the Broncos entered halftime scoreless after failing to capitalize on their chances.
One of those chances came when defender Georgia Rink set up a shot for outside midfielder Charlie Gallardo, which led to a miss.
Head coach Jay Mason said the Broncos used the width of the field to find open space in the first half but struggled to create opportunities through the middle.
The match became more physical as both teams battled for possession, challenging loose balls and pressuring players immediately after failed attacks. CPP’s defense repeatedly tracked CUI attackers downfield, cutting off runs before the Golden Eagles could generate a shot. The increased pressure also resulted in a yellow card for CUI midfielder Ashley Grubert.
The match changed after halftime. Golden Eagle Ashley Grubert found herself near the penalty area where she was able to knock the ball in over the goalkeeper in the 53rd minute. The Broncos answered only 26 seconds later when Gallardo took her shot from well outside the box. It was Gallardo’s first goal as a Bronco.
“I was taking it up the dribble, and she wasn’t pressing me enough,” Gallardo said. “So, I figured this was a really good time for a little shot, so I took it.”
Gallardo said after restarting the game, the Golden Eagles were still celebrating, allowing her to take advantage by controlling the ball with a series of short touches before she took the shot.
Freshman midfielder and defender Angelina Santana helped CPP disrupt CUI’s attack while creating opportunities for the Broncos going forward. Her priority on defense was preventing opponents from getting past her.
“I see who to play it to,” Santana said. “I have an area where it should be, usually where the six is, because that’s the easiest way for the forwards to shoot and score, because they have multiple angles with the goal.”
Her ability to identify space near the six-yard box helped CPP create dangerous scoring opportunities throughout the match.
In the 75th minute, Santana hustled back to disrupt a CUI attack, regaining possession and allowing the Broncos to push the ball back up field.
CPP goalkeeper Parker LaMont recorded four saves, including three in the second half, preventing CUI from reclaiming the lead. With the Broncos’ defense under pressure, LaMont remained composed and helped organize the back line, preventing CUI from creating clear scoring opportunities throughout the match.
CPP finished its challenging non-conference stretch, which also included a1-0 victory over No. 21 Simon Fraser University and a draw against Point Loma, which was ranked No. 7 in the West Region as of Sept. 8, 2026.
“We have a young team, so we wanted to schedule three of the top teams in the region consistently to see kind of where we were at,” Mason said.
Feature image courtesy of CPP Athletics
