NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Women's Soccer team fell in a heartbreaker on Sunday afternoon in The Big West Championship final to central coast rival Cal Poly. A Cal Poly goal in the 89
th minute sealed the deal for the Mustangs, thus ending Santa Barbara's season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After Cal Poly controlled the opening kick, UC Santa Barbara started making early advances.
Caitlyn Simons fired a shot in the 10
th minute that narrowly missed the target, hitting the left post. The Gauchos continued to press the attack with a shot by
Zoe Franks in the 17
th minute and
Haley Phillips forcing a save from Poly's goalkeeper in the 26th minute. In between the two Gaucho shots, Cal Poly narrowly missed as well also hitting the left post in the 24
th minute. Despite both teams' efforts, the half closed without either team finding the back of the net. The score remained level at 0-0 heading into halftime.
The second half began with UC Santa Barbara facing intense pressure from Poly, who earned multiple corner kicks early on.
Maddie Buckley was instrumental in goal, making key saves, including a notable stop against in the 50
th minute. A barrage of shots from the Mustangs ensued with one hitting the right post, another being blocked and then finally missing one wide right. Despite the Mustangs' offensive efforts, UC Santa Barbara managed to create their own opportunities, with
Olivia Howard and
Emily Caughey both testing the Poly goalkeeper midway through the second half.
As the half continued, UC Santa Barbara's defense held strong, with Buckley continuing to thwart the Mustangs' shots. However, in the 89th minute, the Mustangs broke the deadlock as they netted the lone goal of the game. The Gauchos pressed to find the equalizer but could not find the miracle they needed and fell in the Championship match 1-0.
IN CONCLUSION
The loss ends the Gauchos season and they will finish with a 13-5-5 overall record. The 13 wins tie the program record for third most in a season. The Gauchos also earned a program best 9 All-Big West selections.