TEMPE, Ariz. — Cal Poly’s first road test of the season lasted only 87 minutes on the clock, but the real damage came much earlier than the weather delay that finally shut it down.
Arizona State, unbeaten and brimming with confidence, struck inside four minutes and never really loosened its grip in a 2-0 win at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium on Sunday night.
Cal Poly head coach Bernardo Silva didn’t hide from the reality.
“I thought we had a good game plan coming in,” he said, adding that conceding inside the opening five minutes undercut everything his side had prepared. The response was there in flashes, he noted, but as the night wore on, he saw one team grow in belief and hunger — and it wasn’t his.
Early punch, uphill climb
The Sun Devils, now 4-0-1, came out sharp and ruthless. Their early goal, less than four minutes into the match, put the Mustangs on the back foot before they had settled into the desert evening. From there, Cal Poly had to chase.
To its credit, the Cal Poly backline steadied and the midfield began to bite into challenges. The Mustangs (2-2-1) started to impose their pressing game, hounding the ASU backline and forcing turnovers high up the pitch. That pressure produced moments of promise, including a first-half look for sophomore forward Maddy Cole.
Cole, making her first start since transferring from Cal State Bakersfield, offered energy and movement in the final third, but the final touch deserted Cal Poly when it mattered.
Herzing’s near-moment
The best chance of the night for the visitors arrived just after halftime.
Six minutes into the second half, sophomore winger Kenzie Herzing ignited down the right flank, burning past her marker and cutting into the box. She created a rare pocket of space against a disciplined ASU defense and unleashed a fierce strike that screamed just over the crossbar.
For a brief spell, it felt like a turning point. The Mustangs were alive, the bench on its feet, the tempo rising.
Then the game tilted.
Sun Devils close it out
As the half wore on, Arizona State’s composure and depth began to tell. The Sun Devils started stringing passes together, pinning Cal Poly deeper and turning half-chances into sustained pressure.
The second goal, in the 82nd minute, felt inevitable by the time it arrived. It doubled the lead and effectively ended any realistic hope of a late Mustang surge.
Junior goalkeeper Shannon Porubski did what she could to keep Cal Poly in it, finishing with four saves as ASU racked up a 14-5 shot advantage. The numbers matched the eye test: Arizona State controlled the key moments, Cal Poly chased too many of them.
Seven minutes from full time, inclement weather in the area forced the match to be called in the 87th minute, denying any late drama but not altering the outcome.
Road stretch rolls on
For Silva and his squad, this was a blunt reminder of what it takes to win away from home against a confident, in-form opponent. The effort came in patches. The belief, by the coach’s own admission, didn’t last long enough.
Cal Poly now continues its four-match road swing with a trip to Berkeley, where a 4 p.m. kickoff at Cal on Thursday offers a quick chance to answer the question that hung over the desert night: who will want it more next time?
