LA JOLLA, Calif. — A record-setting season for the San Francisco State men's soccer team came to a close on Friday in a 3-0 CCAA Championships semifinals loss to Cal Poly Pomona.
The Gators (12-5-2) knew that it would be a tough match against the Broncos (14-4-0), who were the only team to beat SF State at home all season.
"We knew it was going to be a difficult match. We played Pomona earlier this season and it was a pretty even match and we ended up losing 2-0," said San Francisco State Head Coach
Javier Ayala-Hil, who was named CCAA Head Men's Soccer Coach of the Year on Thursday. "[We] tried to make our adjustments throughout this game and at the end of the day you're playing a very good team."
The Broncos applied pressure from the get-go with three corner kicks and a pair of shots in the first 10 minutes. CPP attempted two more corner kicks before Luis Najara, Jr. scored in the 19th minute from the top of the box.
SF State's offense finally posed a threat in the 24th minute when Tariq Pulskamp's header off the corner kick went high. Another Gators corner kick in the 29th minute resulted in another header but Brandon Brunac's attempt went wide right. In the 42nd minute, All-CCAA First Team forward Ranier Plantinos' second shot from close range was saved and Carlos Trujeque leal's shot in the final minute before the half was saved.
Plantinos had another shot saved in the 51st minute and after a foul at the top of box in the 55th minute, attempted a free kick that sailed high.
SF State goalkeeper Peter Swinkels saved a Najera, Jr. header and the defense blocked another shot. The CPP attack kept coming, though. A shot went high, and All-CCAA First Team Defender Aydan Bowers was there for the block. However, the resulting corner kick resulted in a goal for Jose Garcia, which doubled the lead in the 72nd minute.
CCAA Player of the Year Sergio Monso put the game out of reach in the 82nd minute with his 19th goal of the season, on the assists from Najera, Jr. and Garcia.
"We had an opportunity earlier on in the half that could have tied it 1-1 and could have changed things for the second half," said Ayala-Hil. "At the end of the day, they just capitalized on certain moments and we didn't. "We're very proud of the team for the way they performed throughout the entire year. It's never easy trying to get into the conference tournament in the first place. Every game is a battle, every team is very good, so to get to the point to where we got to this season is an accomplishment in itself. I think now we're just looking to build and just being able to consistently make the tournament. That's going to be our goal every year."
This season, the Gators matched the program's best start in school history with a 5-0 start and, on the final day of the regular season, clinched a postseason berth for the first time since 1978. SF State won its quarterfinals match 1-0 at No. 13 UC San Diego and had five players named to the All-CCAA Team.
