The Cal Poly Mustangs women’s soccer team fell 1-0 to the Cal State Fullerton Titans in their Big West Conference road opener on September 30, 2026, at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, California.
The only goal of the match came in the seventh minute when Cal State Fullerton executed a short corner kick that was crossed into the box, deflecting off Cal Poly defender Skye Johnson and past junior goalkeeper Shannon Porubski.
Cal Poly increased their offensive pressure in the second half, led by junior forward Isis Salazar-Ortega, freshman forward Kate Nunes, and senior forward Annika Smith, the Big West Offensive Player of the Year. Smith led the Mustangs with four shots and created several scoring chances with headers in the 70th and 81st minutes.
Goalkeeper Porubski recorded six saves in her 28th consecutive start, but Cal Poly was unable to find the equalizer. The loss dropped Cal Poly’s overall record to 4-4-3 and their conference record to 1-1-1, placing them in a four-way tie for fifth in the Big West standings.
Head coach Bernardo Silva expressed disappointment with the result but noted the team’s strong second-half effort. “I felt like based on what we did in that second half that we could have gotten something out of it, not sure a win, but definitely a tie,” Silva said. “It comes down to one moment and we were unfortunately on the wrong end of it today. It is disappointing but hopefully we can take some lessons from this here.”
Cal Poly will continue their road trip with a Saturday, October 3 match against UC San Diego at 6 p.m., with live coverage on ESPN+.
CSB Take
Cal Poly’s narrow defeat in their conference road opener underscores the critical importance of single moments in close games. The Mustangs showed resilience and offensive depth in the second half but must convert opportunities to improve their Big West standing. Moving forward, tightening their defensive focus and capitalizing on scoring chances will be essential as they pursue postseason goals.
Source: Original report
