Women’s soccer suffers first loss in CCAA Game of the Week
By Cael Cross, October 27, 2026
The Cal Poly Pomona women’s soccer team fell short to Stanislaus State 1-0 on the road Oct. 15, handing the Broncos their first loss of the season.
CPP entered the match on a 13-game undefeated streak, one game shy of tying the program record for the longest undefeated start to a season. The 14-game record was set in 2024 by the national title winning team, whose streak also ended at Warrior Stadium when the Broncos lost 2-0 to Stanislaus State.
The Broncos started aggressively on the offensive side, with forward Carly Radke firing a shot on target 16 seconds into the match. Midfielder Charlie Gallardo headed the ball toward goal off a long diagonal pass from defender Mikaela Marr in the fourth minute, forcing Warriors’ goalkeeper Zara Mujica to push the shot onto the crossbar.
Marr highlighted the importance of decision-making as a defender when in possession.
“As a center back, it’s a lot of pressure when you do have the ball because you’re the last line of defense,” Marr said. “You want to make smart decisions, but you also want to make quick decisions, so a lot of it is based on what the other team is giving me.”
The Broncos created two more chances a minute later, with Gallardo sending a volley over the bar and forward Kailey Powers hitting the post after the Broncos’ midfielders intercepted a pass from Mujica.
CPP continued pushing the Warriors backline as forward Morgan Huff put a header on target in the eighth minute off a corner before Gallardo struck from outside the box in the 12th minute, forcing another Mujica save. The Broncos attempted eight shots in the first 12 minutes.
“I thought our group started really well,” head coach Jay Mason said. “We kept Stanislaus pinned in their half most of the first half. I think as far as effort goes, I thought our group work really hard tonight to take away some of the strengths that Stanislaus possess.”
Radke fired a couple shots from crosses, latching onto one from midfielder Sabine Ramos before putting it over the bar in the 17th minute and slicing a shot in the 24th minute off a cross from defender Angelina Santana.
Gallardo kept up the attacking blitz in the 30th minute, dispossessing a Warriors defender and blasting another attempt from long-range, but fired it over the bar.
The Broncos were nearly caught on the counter in the 35th minute, but defender Holly Wilbanks made a slide tackle that stripped the ball away from Warriors’ forward Olivia Maragos before she could get a shot off.
Despite ranking fifth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association in goals per game (1.38) coming into the match, the Warriors only attempted one shot in the first half, a common theme in Broncos’ matches. CPP ranks first in the CCAA in goals against average (0.27), only allowing 6.1 shots per game this season.
“I think our backline is something we take a lot of pride in,” Marr said. “… When we’re more connected as a backline, which I feel like we really have been recently, it’s when our communication’s really high and we’re all just on the same page.”
The Warriors’ lone shot came in the 40th minute from midfielder Alexys Petrilla, hitting the side netting off a strike from the right wing.
CPP attempted 12 shots in the first half, putting five on frame and making it 15 consecutive matches with double-digit shot attempts. The last time the Broncos attempted fewer than 10 shots was in a 1-0 win over Azusa Pacific in the NCAA Round of 16 last season.
Radke and Ramos started the second half with shot attempts in the first five minutes, but both were off target. Defender Georgia Rink put a cross toward the back post in the 55th minute, but midfielder Kayla Perez poked the ball away before it could reach Radke.
The Warriors created back-to-back chances as forward Aliah Avila took a long-distance strike in the 57th minute that goalkeeper Parker LaMont saved before midfielder Grace Vojkufka headed the ball wide a minute later off a set-piece routine.
The Warriors broke through in the 71st minute when Broncos’ midfielder Braedyn Kincade fouled midfielder Hibah Elbeshity in the box, conceding a penalty that defender Karissa Franco scored to make it 1-0.
The penalty marked the first goal CPP conceded since the 80th minute against San Francisco State Sept. 20, snapping its 620-minute shutout streak. The Broncos were 14 minutes away from breaking their record for most consecutive minutes without conceding, which they set from Oct. 8-29, 2021.
Radke created a chance for the Broncos four minutes after the penalty, driving a pass across the six-yard box, but no Broncos attackers were able to meet it.
Mason highlighted Radke’s ability to play outside of a traditional striker role and create opportunities for her teammates while being new to the team’s system.
“Carly’s really good back to goal,” Mason said. “She’s a technically strong player in those moments, … and she’s learning. She’s just a sophomore, and it’s a brand-new system and role for her. She’s a really good outlet for our backs and even our midfielders when we’re trying to break through team’s press or lines.”
Radke smashed a free kick attempt off the crossbar in the 77th minute, rebounding to Powers for a header, but the Warriors defenders blocked her second effort.
Ramos controlled the ball inside the box a minute later after a scramble and put a shot on target, but Mujica saved the close-range attempt. Mujica totaled eight saves in the match.
Gallardo and Marr fired long-range efforts in the final 10 minutes but could not break through the Stanislaus State defense, and the match ended 1-0.
CPP dropped to 7-1-6 overall and 4-1-4 in CCAA play after the result. The Broncos have lost three consecutive matches at Warrior Stadium, last winning i2019. A 2-0 win over Cal State East Bay two days later brought CPP back up into the top four in the CCAA standings.
“The CCAA always provides a playoff atmosphere every game, and I think tonight was a really good example of what it’s going to feel like in those moments,” Mason said. “I’d like to think our group’s a little more experienced now being a part of that game.”
Feature image courtesy of CPP Athletics
