SAN LUIS OBISPO – Junior forward David Zamora recorded both his first collegiate hat trick and matched a Cal Poly men’s soccer program record with three second half goals as the Mustangs retained their Big West Conference leading position with a 3-1 victory against Cal State Northridge Saturday afternoon at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.

Junior goalkeeper Patrick McLain recorded five saves for Cal Poly (7-8-1, 5-2-0), which improved to 15 points in Big West play – three ahead of second place and No. 6 UC Santa Barbara (10-3-1, 4-1-0). The Gauchos host Cal State Fullerton at 7 p.m.

Cal Poly placed just two shots on net during the first half, but finally broke through against Cal State Northridge freshman goalkeeper Michael Abalos in the 68th minute as freshman midfielder Chris Gaschen found Zamora with a pass from the left edge of the Matadors penalty area. Zamora deftly headed the ball past Abalos and into the right corner of the net.

“This was a really important three points we picked up today,” fourth-year Cal Poly head coach Paul Holocher said. “I thought Cal State Northridge was better than us in the first half. In the second, we received a moment of inspiration from Gaschen and that sparked us. Cal State Northridge then had to chase the game and that left them exposed.”

Two minutes after his first goal, Zamora went to the penalty spot after Matadors sophomore midfielder Rafael Garcia was whistled for a hand ball on the right side of the box. Zamora easily slotted his second penalty of the season and Cal Poly’s fifth in five attempts.

Sixteen minutes from time, Abalos slid out from goal to stop an attempt from Gaschen, but Zamora corralled the rebound before ramming the ball into the back of the net.

With the seventh hat trick in Mustang history, Zamora moved into second place on the Cal Poly career goals chart with 20. He also ranks third in program history with 45 points.

“David is just a clutch performer who rises to the occasion in big matches,” Holocher added. “He’s a leader who plays best when it matters most.”

Cal State Northridge pulled a goal back in the 74th minute as senior defender Cameron Sims latched onto a free kick attempt from senior midfielder Sunghyan Kim and headed the ball past McLain.