Senior forward Sean Goode scored twice 44 seconds apart to help the Cal Poly men’s soccer program draw level versus UC Irvine in the second half, but a goal with two seconds remaining in double overtime from Anteaters midfielder Ivan Canales sent the Mustangs to a 3-2 defeat inside Alex G. Spanos Stadium on Sunday evening.
Senior goalkeeper Simon Boehme recorded eight saves for Cal Poly, which trailed Big West Conference leader UC Irvine, 2-0, with 12 minutes remaining in regulation. In the 78th, however, Cal Poly won a penalty after UC Irvine defender Jalani Ambrose handled the ball inside the penalty area. Goode converted to cut Cal Poly’s deficit in half and, 44 seconds later, he received an upfield pass from freshman defender Brecc Evans and, in a one-versus-one situation, slid his second goal of the night past Anteaters goalkeeper Greg Patenaude.
Into the overtime periods, Mustang junior forward George Grote elicited a 106th-minute save from Patenaude. With 20 seconds remaining, however, UC Irvine won a free kick outside Cal Poly’s penalty box. Anteaters midfielder Daniel Crisostomo lifted a cross for defender Darren Hamilton, who headed for Canales and the eventual game-winning goal.
With the loss, Cal Poly (5-8-2, 1-4-1) stayed on four points and in eighth place in the Big West Conference standings. UC Irvine (11-4-2, 5-0-1), meanwhile, improved to 16 points and clinched the No. 1 seed for the Oct. 31, Nov. 3 and 10 Big West Tournament.
Cal Poly closes the 2018 regular season at UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, Oct. 27. Kickoff from Harder Stadium is 5 p.m.
Boehme chalked up his first save in the seventh minute, but the Mustangs were unable to keep UC Irvine out of the net in the 30th, when an attempt from Hamilton struck the Cal Poly crossbar before falling to Canales, who tapped Sunday’s opener over the goal line.
Eighteen seconds into the second half, Boehme stopped a penalty attempt by forward Jose Ortiz, but UC Irvine doubled its lead in the 50th minute after Canales played a pass out to the left edge of Cal Poly’s penalty area for midfielder Armando Quezada, who slotted his goal near the left post.
–Provided by Cal Poly
