The Cal Poly men’s soccer team won their third consecutive game 1-0 Saturday, defeating Cal State Bakersfield at Paso Robles Horse Park on the strength of an 84th-minute goal by freshman forward Bryan Ibarra.
The goal was set up by Cal Poly’s seventh corner kick of the game as sophomore forward Diego Alonso headed the ball back across the box and Ibarra finished it with a header into the top left corner of the goal.
The goal was the first of Ibarra’s collegiate career, but it was even more special because he scored it for his mom, who couldn’t attend the game.
“It feels really good so this one’s for my mom,” Ibarra said. “She’s in the hospital right now, so this one’s for her.”
He came in as a last-minute substitution and did exactly what he was asked to do according to assistant coach Shaun Harris who was filling in as head coach for Saturday’s match.
The clean sheet was the Mustangs third of the season and third in a row. Junior goalkeeper Simon Boehme attributes their recent success on defense to the team’s “grit.”
Boehme was awarded the Golden Horse Shoe by the fans for the first time in his career after the game. The Golden Horse Shoe is a Cal Poly soccer tradition and the fans give it to who they believe was the man of the match.
Boehme is currently third in the NCAA in saves per game with an average of 6.3 saves per match. He added six more saves to his tally Saturday afternoon.
The Mustangs won despite 2016 Big West Conference Freshman of the Year and midfielder Christian Enriquez leaving the game early in the first half with an apparent injury.
The Mustangs will look to add another game to their winning streak as they continue their four-game homestand with their last non-conference game against Portland on Monday at 7:00 pm at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.