OK. So I’m going to make this post short and to the point, then give you a few more pictures from last week’s game.

Quarterback Andre Broadous and his decision-making ability will have a lot to do with whether the Mustangs earn an FCS playoff bid this weekend. By David Livingston

If the Mustangs win today, they’re in. If they lose, it’s possible, but not assured.

To win, they have to:

* Not stall drives early — Cal Poly’s defense does better at being opportunistic when it’s rested, so keep them off the field. Especially at elevation, it’s important for the Mustangs’ offense to control the ball and put Northern Arizona on its heels early.

* Win the turnover game. This goes without saying, in every game, but it’s especially true for a Mustangs team that lost two fumbles each at Sacramento State and Eastern Washington. If the Mustangs lose more than one fumble today, it will be really hard for them to win.

* Win the first quarter. While momentum seems to matter less at Spanos, it seems to matter a great deal to the Mustangs when they play on the road. They had the momentum at Wyoming from the outset and held on to win. Momentum-wise, this game will need to be similar.

* Need more Umoh. Cal Poly will need to establish inside runs early to set-up counter plays and pitches. If they get too cute with outside tosses early-on, Northern Arizona could seize the momentum from the outset by shutting off the edge.

* Deonte. However they do it, the Mustangs will have to continue riding Deonte Williams to the playoffs. Williams, a former Norther Arizona Lumberjack, has been their go-to guy all year and will need to remain a workhorse for Cal Poly.

* Big Plays? If Cal Poly hits big plays in the passing game, this one could be not as close as the experts think. Whether they go for those big plays has a lot to do with Andre Broadous’ decision-making and the amount of respect Northern Arizona gives to receivers like Cole Stanford and Willie Tucker.

Photos by David Livingston

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Sporting the all-gold uniform, Cal Poly quarterback Andre Broadous eludes a Portland State defender. Broadous rushed for 73 yards and 2 touchdowns and also threw for 117 yards and 2 touchdowns. Photo by Owen Main

After the Big Sky informed Cal Poly that the all-white uniforms they wore at Weber State (with gold trim) wouldn’t be allowed anymore, the Mustangs rolled-out a gold uniform for the first time at home.

I’m not fashion expert, but I thought they looked sharp. On the podcast earlier in the week, I talked to JD Scroggin about whether he thought it would be possible at home. We both thought that it probably looked too close to a visiting team’s white uniform to make it work, but they did it. In the future, perhaps they should request that the visitors wear a darker color to make the difference stand-out more.

Unlike the white uniforms, the all-golds had sharp and easy-to-read green numbers.

The two games that Cal Poly has won in the golds this year have been among their closest of the season. While they won that game 35-17, they were actually losing 17-14 in the fourth quarter before reeling off 21 straight points to make the final margin much larger than the game actually was.

On Saturday, with Cal Poly donning the golds again, Portland State used some Cal Poly miscues to go ahead 25-20 in the third quarter. Much like the North Dakota game, the Mustangs rallied late to score the final 17 points, winning the game by 12, 37-25.

Cal Poly has played a lot more close games than their dominant 7-0 record indicates. Sometimes the difference between a good season and a great season is the ability to consistently do the things they need to do in close games. And closing close games has not been an issue for Cal Poly.

The fans got into the Halloween spirit for the game. Photos by David Livingston

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Cal Poly’s Chris Gaschen races a UC Davis defender to the ball on Tuesday night at Alex G. Spanos Stadium. Photo by David Livingston

Coaches say it a lot. It’s just about winning this game.

With a 1-0 win over UC Davis (second in the Big West North Division standings) on Tuesday night, Paul Holocher’s men’s soccer team kept themselves in the Big West playoff hunt. All four teams from the North are within 3 points of one another. Three points are awarded for each conference win.

Midfielder Nolan Moore tapped in a rebound in the 26th minute for his first goal of the year. Freshman goalkeeper Wade Hamilton made four saves to secure the 1-0 with for the Mustangs. Cal Poly was out-shot 15-9, but Moore’s tap-in was the difference.

KSBY’s Highlights here

Cal Poly heads South on the 101 for their game at UCSB Friday night.

Depending on the outcome of the UC Davis – Sacramento State game, the winner of the game could potentially go into a 3-way first place tie and the loser could potentially be six points back with only three games to play. If you’re going to go, bring your tortilla shields.

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Cal Poly’s Bianca Burright scored two goals in her second game back after being injured for over a year. Photo by Owen Main

Before Big West Conference play began, Cal Poly women’s soccer coach Alex Crozier had to make a decision. With so many injuries to key players, Crozier had to simplify his strategy — and his team’s formation.

On Sunday afternoon, one of those previously-injured players, Bianca Burright, scored twice in only her second game of the year and the Mustangs pulled away from visiting Hawaii to win 5-2 and remain atop the Big West Conference standings. The second-leading goal scorer as a sophomore during the 2010 season, Burright has been sidelined since 2010 with two hip injuries.

Without second-leading scorer Sara Epps, Cal Poly needed Burright’s offensive explosion to keep pace with Hawaii early-on.

Burright struck the games first goal in the 13th minute, assisted by Cici Kobinski. Hawaii answered with a goal of their own 8 minutes later. The match was tied 1-1 at halftime.

Kobinski answered with a goal of her own less than one minute into the second half, dribbling past 3 defenders from 45 yards out and beating the keeper far post. Once again, Hawaii answered quickly, knotting the score at 2 apiece less than six minutes later.

Burright’s second goal, calmly controlled and buried, gave the Mustangs a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish.

When Hawaii pushed forward, trying to answer again, Freshman forward Elise Krieghoff put away two late goals to give Cal Poly a sizable 5-2 victory. Krieghoff’s two goals put her into double digits with 10 goals in 15 games. The Mustangs stand atop the conference with a record of 5-0-1 (8-5-2 overall). Only three games remain (at UC Riverside, at Cal State Fullerton, and home vs. UCSB) before the Big West Conference Tournament, which starts November 1.

Photos by Owen Main

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Photos by David Livingston

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A Cal Poly receiver goes horizontal to catch an Andre Broadous pass on Saturday night. Photo by David Livingston

Quarterback Andre Broadous combined for 263 total yards, 68 on the ground and 195 through the air. Broadous efficiently racked up his 195 yards passing with 9 completions on only 12 attempts. Broadous threw for 2 touchdowns, one for 45 yards to Willie Tucker and another for 30 yards to Brandon Michalkiewicz.

Cal Poly’s offense was an amazingly clutch 11 for 13 on third down.

Junior defensive captain Sullivan Grosz led the Mustangs’ defense, sacking Bears quarterback Seth Lobato three times.

The Mustangs scored with incredible balance, posting 14 points in each in all four quarters. Northern Colorado matched the Mustangs in the first quarter with 14 points of their own, but Cal Poly’s defense stiffened in the 2nd quarter and didn’t relent until the 4th quarter, when the second team defense starting getting mixed into the game. The Bears then scored their other two touchdowns in garbage-time.

Early in the contest Cal Poly was impressively crisp on offense, as Broadous played mistake-free and Williams was getting downhill and falling forward with ease. The Northern Colorado defense honestly looked over-matched from the get-go.

Halfway through the first quarter with Poly up 7-0 after a 8-yard Kristaan Ivory touchdown run, Broadous’ only major mistake of the game occurred. While keeping over the right side, Andre fumbled and Northern Colorado recovered inside the Cal Poly 20. Bears running back Tremaine Dennis then found his way towards the goal line over his next three carries, finding the end zone to tie the game at 7.

The Mustangs then got back on track with their bread and butter, as Williams fought for first downs on option pitches and inside trap plays. Once Poly crossed midfield into Bear territory, Broadous hit Willie Tucker streaking deep across the field on a 45-yard touchdown. Broadous commented in a post-game radio interview with Tom Barket on ESPN Radio 1280 that a couple of years ago he would have never been able to make that throw or even would have thought of trying it. He admitted he would have just tucked it away and got what he could have with his legs. The growth and maturity of a player is a great thing to see unfold.

As the first quarter came to a close, Northern Colorado answered Poly’s big play with another score of their own, as Lobato found tight end Darin McDonald in the end zone from 22 yards away to tie the score at 14. At this point it looked as if the game was shaping up to be a track meet.

Poly answered back early in the 2nd quarter with a Kristaan Ivory 37-yard scamper on the pitch to make the score 21-14. Then, the Mustang defense stiffened.

Cal Poly cornerback Nico Molino battles for the ball with Norther Colorado receiver Dominic Gunn. Photo by David Livingston

Defensive ends Andrew Alcaraz and Jake Irwin started getting better up-field penetration, putting a post in the defense against Northern Colorado’s off-tackle play. This change forced Bears running back Tromaine Dennis back inside to the teeth of Poly’s defense, instead of allowing him to have the choice to bounce to the outside and extend cutback opportunities in the open field.

The Mustangs added another score after a Northern Colorado punt, as Deonte Williams took a trap play back inside away from option action, a staple of the Poly offense, for a 5-yard plunge, bringing the score to 28-14, where it stayed until halftime.

Cal Poly did not come out with any sense of complacency to start the second half. After a stellar special teams tackle on the kickoff, the Mustangs recovered a fumble by Northern Colorado inside the Bears 25.

Deonte Williams then cashed in that turnover for Poly, taking in his 2nd score of the game, this one from 11 yards out. The Mustangs held a commanding 21-point lead, 35-14, with only 2:24 elapsed in the 3rd quarter. Credit Poly’s coaching staff for keeping their team fired up, and the players for having the killer instinct to put someone away when you have them down. This is the sign of not just a good team, but potentially a great one.

On their next posession, the Mustangs strung together back to back big plays. Broadous hit Cole Stanford down the left seam for 38 yards, and then took it himself on an option keeper for another 25. Deonte Williams smelled the paint along the right side he juked, spun and then lunged his way into the end zone for his 3rd and final score of the night, this one a 15-yard work of art, bringing the score to 42-14 Cal Poly.

Broadus capped off the final first-team drive of the game with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Michalkiewicz, in which the receiver navigated two defenders both during and after the catch, crossing the goal line as the defenders ran into each other. It was a play indicative of the overall Mustang dominance on this night. Poly lead 49-14 with 12 minutes left to play.

After a Northern Colorado touchdown, the Mustangs second-team offense, led by Vince Moraga, countered with a touchdown drive of their own, capped off by a short Ryan Soloman plunge with 3:47 remaining, making the score 56-21. It was Soloman’s first career touchdown.

Cal Poly improves to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the Big Sky. Northern Colorado falls to 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the Big Sky.

The game was televised on KSBY and was broadcast by recent Fansmanship Podcast guest Bill Halter along with Andrew Masuda. KSBY will again televise next week’s game as head coach Tim Walsh and his Mustangs will take on his former team, the Portland State Vikings (2-4, 1-3 Big Sky) at Spanos Stadium. The Vikings are coming off a bye week, and the week before the bye they demolished Idaho State 77-10. The Mustangs are an even 9-9 all-time against Portland State.

If you haven’t had a chance to see this Mustang offensive machine yet this season, I highly recommend you check them out. You won’t be disappointed. Game time is 6:05pm Saturday night. Get there.

Photos by David Livingston

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Cal Poly junior forward Mackenzie Pridham scored the golden goal on Sunday in overtime. The goal was his second of the game and team-leading 7th of the season. Photo by David Livingston

Cal Poly junior forward Mackenizie Pridham scored his team-leading sixth and seventh goals of the season in a shootout Sunday afternoon as Cal Poly beat UC Irvine in an overtime thriller. After giving up a 1-0 and 2-1 lead to the Anteaters, Pridham poked in a cross from Chase Minter past UC Irvine keeper Michael Breslin for the golden goal.

The conference victory came on the heels of a disappointing 1-0 loss to Cal State Northridge on Friday night. After being shut-out for the first time in conference play this year, the Mustangs pushed the tempo much more on both sides of the field. Cal Poly piled-up 15 shots — six of them on-goal. Pridham led the team with six shots and lead the Mustangs with seven goals on the season.

Cal Poly keeper Wade Hamilton made six saves as UC Irvine matched the Mustangs’ 15 shots throughout the match. Cal Poly’s win evens their conference record at 2-2 and improves their season record to 7-5-0.

After being shut-out 9 times last season and scoring only 15 goals in 18 games, the Mustangs have turned their offense around with a new system based on the style of FC Barcelona. This season, Cal Poly already has 18 goals in only 12 games.

Next week, Cal Poly visits Sacramento State on Friday before returning home next Tuesday to face UC-Davis.

Photos by David Livingston

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Cal Poly junior setter Kate Walters sets a teammate in Saturday’s match vs. Cal State Northridge. Photo by David Livingston

After taking a set from 8th-ranked Hawaii on Friday night, the Cal Poly women were swept by Cal State Northridge on Saturday 3-sets-to-none.

The match was closer than the sweep indicated. The first set could have gone either way, with the Mustangs taking the Matadors to 32-30. The scores of the last two sets were 25-23 and 25-22. In a season where results have been hard to come by, Cal Poly played one of their more competitive matches, despite the straight-set loss.

The Mustangs are now 1-16 on the season (0-5 in Big West Conference play) in coach Sam Crosson’s first year as head coach.

Photos by David Livingston

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Cal Poly lost a tough match vs. Cal State Northridge on Friday night. Photo by David Livingston

Cal Poly men’s soccer coach Paul Holocher is working on implementing a new style. He has been talking about it since a preseason trip to Barcelona. His players have been energized by the new style and Cal Poly soccer fans are seeing more goals. While the transition process to the new style is firmly in-place, the results aren’t always there.

On Friday night, Cal State Northridge used a first-minute goal, packed defenders back, and held on for a 1-0 win. Cal Poly had numerous scoring opportunities. Most noteably, Chris Gaschen saw a shot ricochet off the right post during the second half.

In an interesting interview, Holocher was quiet after the game, but also seemed determined to not let a loss in a single game change the type of style he wants the Mustangs to play. Again, definitely worthwhile to take a listen. (Sorry for the slightly blurry video).

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEcHIuTY3-g

Photos by David Livinston

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Despite the bad record of the Cal Poly volleyball team, the Mustangs’ fansmanship was strong. Photo by David Livingston

When you are 1-14 on the season, closing sets becomes a daunting task. Against rival UCSB, the Cal Poly volleyball team was in sets early, but could not stop the Gauchos, who rolled to a straight-sets conference win. The loss dropped Sam Crosson’s Cal Poly squad to 0-3 in conference.

In a Blue-Green rivalry game, Mott Gym was mostly full — the crowd of over 1200 more reminiscent of a men’s basketball game — despite Cal Poly’s 1-13 record coming into the match. There were shirtless guys, a whole row of dudes in speedos, and UCSB fans taunting the Cal Poly student section — sauntering past with signs and jeers.

Even though the Mustangs are having a bad season, solid fansmanship was was exhibited on both sides of the rivalry. We can’t wait for the men’s soccer matchups.

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Cal Poly is 1-0 in conference play this year. Photo by David Livingston

Cal Poly women’s soccer started their Big West Conference season with a 4-1 home victory at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.

The Mustangs jumped out to a 2-0 lead  on goals from Sara Epps and Elise Krieghoff before Pacific’s Kortney Agdeppa brought Pacific within a goal before halftime. The Mustangs bounced back in the second half though. Sara Lancaster and Krieghoff scored in the 54th and 56th minute respectively to put the match out of reach.

The win put the Mustangs’ record to 1-0 in the Big West Conference. The UC Davis Aggies visit Alex G. Spanos stadium to face the Lady Mustangs on Sunday at noon.

Photos by David Livingston

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