Cal State Bakersfield
Big West Title on Line as Cal Poly Closes Regular Season Saturday
10/30/2025 2:53:00 PM | Men's Soccer
SAN LUIS OBISPO – The Cal Poly men’s soccer program seeks a second successive Big West regular season title when completing its nine-game conference stretch Saturday, Nov. 1 at Cal State Bakersfield. Kickoff is 7 p.m. for Cal Poly (7-5-5, 4-2-2), which improved to 14 points in the Big West table with a 1-0 home win versus CSUN (Oct. 26) as the Mustangs enter the final day two points behind co-leaders Cal State Fullerton and UC Santa Barbara. A Cal Poly victory, coupled with Saturday defeats or draws by both Cal State Fullerton (hosting UC San Diego) and UC Santa Barbara (visiting CSUN), hands Cal Poly at least a share of the Big West regular season title. Fifth-place Cal State Bakersfield (3-10-3, 3-3-2), meanwhile, qualifies for the six-team, Nov. 5, 8 and 14 Big West Championship with just a draw Saturday. After leading the Big West standings on Oct. 15, the Roadrunners have dropped three straight.
DOWN TO THE WIRE: Entering the final day of Big West play, Cal Poly can finish as high as the No. 1 seed for the Big West Championship – and a bye to the conference championship semifinals – or drop as low as fifth and go on the road for an opening-round matchup. With none of the four teams atop the standings facing each other on the final day, a possibility exists for a four-team tie for the regular season title.
CAL POLY VERSUS CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD: Cal Poly has won six of its last seven matches against Cal State Bakersfield with a 1-0 home victory in 2024 handing the Mustangs the Big West regular season title and a 1-1 draw in 2023 clinching a conference championship position. Cal Poly leads the Division I series, 7-1-3.
TOTAL FOOTBALL: After scoring 19 times in 19 matches last fall, Cal Poly has found the back of the opposition net 26 times in 2025 to rank 47th among 210 NCAA Division I programs. Thirteen different Mustangs have scored through the initial 17 games with senior midfielder Bakuena Ramakatsa, junior forward Jack Civitts, sophomore forward Finn Linas and freshman defender Tanner Casey producing their first goals as Mustangs. With freshman defender Michael Vick ranked second in the Big West and 74th among NCAA Division I players with five assists and Civitts on four assists, 10 separate Mustangs have registered at least one assist this year.
Big West Championship spot secured, Cal Poly closes the regular season Saturday, Nov. 1 at Cal State Bakersfield!#RideHigh pic.twitter.com/ay0osOyYQQ
— Cal Poly Men’s Soccer (@CPMensSoccer) October 27, 2025
DEFENSE IN FOCUS: Allowing six goals during the opening four matches, Cal Poly has conceded just eight times in the last 13 games. Seven of the program’s eight shutouts this fall have occurred since a home draw against No. 20 San Francisco (Sept. 11). Two of the 14 total goals allowed have been penalties.
MCCUNE IN FRAME: Without just two goals allowed in his previous 450 minutes and only 12 conceded from open play in 1,518 minutes this season, senior Nicky McCune – the Sept. 9 and Oct. 27 Big West Defensive Player of the Week honoree – ranks first among Big West goalkeepers in total minutes, second with seven solo shutouts, third with a .770 save percentage and fourth with a 0.83 goals against average. McCune has twice recorded a season best five saves at California Baptist (Aug. 30) and Air Force (Sept. 5). A starter in 37 of 40 collegiate outings, McCune ranks first in program history with a 0.88 career goals against average and fourth with 15 career shutouts and a .773 save percentage.
MUSTANG GOLDEN BOOT RACE TIGHTENS: Enjoying his first two-goal game as a Mustang during Cal Poly’s 8-0 home victory against Utah Tech (Sept. 18), sophomore forward Quinn Mahoney has already matched his four-goal haul from last fall. Freshman defender Tanner Casey, who scored three times in his initial four appearances, added a fourth goal during Cal Poly’s 4-0 home win against UC San Diego (Oct. 11). After missing the 2024 season through injury, junior forward Sean McTague – a 2022 Big West All-Freshman Team selection – scored his fourth goal of the season to fuel a 1-0 home win versus CSUN (Oct. 26). Tied for fifth among Big West goalscorers, the trio also ranks inside the top 10 for total points.
Back-to-back shutouts versus UC Riverside (Oct. 22) and CSUN (Oct. 26) and seven saves to keep Cal Poly in contention for a second Big West regular season title. And now a 6???career ... pic.twitter.com/Qw3qoGwfOt
— Cal Poly Men’s Soccer (@CPMensSoccer) October 28, 2025
MCCUNE, OWENS NAMED TO HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST: For the first time in Cal Poly history, multiple Mustangs were named to a Hermann Trophy Watch List as senior goalkeeper Nicky McCune and junior defender Parker Owens earned Aug. 21 candidacy for collegiate national player of the year recognition. Among the 29 standouts named, Cal Poly joined Cornell as the only programs – among more than 200 Division I squads – with two candidates. A total of 15 players will be named 2025 Hermann Trophy semifinalists on Dec. 9 at the conclusion of NCAA Division I All-America voting. From that list, three players will be voted as finalists with the 2025 recipient announced Jan. 9, 2026, at the historic Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.
ETC.: Cal Poly’s 8-0 home victory against Utah Tech (Sept. 18) established new Division I program records for total goals, margin of victory and individual assists (seven) … junior forward Jack Civitts was named Sept. 22 Big West Offensive Player of the Week after scoring against Utah Tech and producing Cal Poly’s first three-assist game in 17 seasons … Cal Poly saw a program record 13-match home unbeaten run at Mustang Memorial Field snapped with a 2-0 loss to Cal State Fullerton (Oct. 8) … the 9,543-fan attendance figure for Cal Poly’s Oct. 18 home matchup versus Blue-Green rivalry UC Santa Barbara marked the second largest figure in the nation this season.
