Mackenzie Pridham scored his 14th goal this season against UC Davis, but the Aggies scored two goals in the final five minutes to defeat the Mustangs on Wednesday afternoon.
Jacob Lauing
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With its 2-1 loss to UC Davis on Wednesday afternoon, the Cal Poly soccer team squandered a golden opportunity after leading 1-0 into the 86th minute.
A victory over the Aggies would have clinched the Big West Conference tournament’s No. 2 seed for the Mustangs. Now, with one game left, Cal Poly and UC Davis are tied for second place in the Big West North Division, with the Aggies holding the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage.
Though both squads own 3-4-2 conference records and 11 points, UC Davis is in control.
To secure the No. 2 seed, the Mustangs will need at least a draw against No. 12 UC Santa Barbara this Saturday, coupled with a UC Davis loss. If the Aggies tie Sacramento State on Saturday afternoon, Cal Poly must win to clinch second.
The conference loss may have overshadowed what was a historic afternoon for one Cal Poly forward. Senior Mackenzie Pridham set a new school record with his 27th career goal, which he scored unassisted in the 19th minute.
The Mustangs shut out the Aggies for most of the game, but UC Davis’ Matt Wiesenfarth evened the score with five minutes to go.
Matt Sheldon ensured there would be no overtime, scoring a game-winner with 27 seconds remaining on the clock.
Now Cal Poly is faced with the task of beating rival UC Santa Barbara on the road.
If the Mustangs lose, the No. 2 seed in the southern division will host Cal Poly in the first round.
The Gauchos, who are unbeaten in conference play, have already clinched first place in the Big West North Division, granting them a bye in the first round of the conference tournament.
In this season’s first installment of the Blue-Green Rivalry, the two squads tied at one goal apiece in front of a sold out crowd at Alex G. Spanos Stadium. The Mustangs were victorious at Harder Stadium a year ago, thanks to an overtime goal from Pridham.
The rematch kicks off at 8 p.m. and will be televised live on Fox Sports West.