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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