A Tight Contest at Cal Poly
The match opened with a burst of energy as Roman Anast, making his collegiate debut, slipped a precise strike into the net during the 24th minute. The early lead set a confident tone for the Mustangs, but the visitors from Davis were far from passive.
Just nine minutes later, Parker Mascott added his name to the scoresheet, capitalising on a well‑timed pass from teammate Devin Benning, who had just transferred from Division III Occidental. Mascott’s goal marked his first collegiate tally and underscored the impact of the offseason acquisition.
UC Davis responded aggressively, outshot Cal Poly 17‑5 over the course of the game, and clawed back into contention after an own goal gave them a brief lead seven minutes into the second half. The momentum shifted again when Nico Collins struck for the Aggies two minutes from full time, forcing a 2‑2 deadlock.
Between the flurry of goals, Cal Poly’s goalkeeper Mathew Guerra stood firm, making four crucial saves, including diving stops in the 58th and 86th minutes that kept the Mustangs level. His performance helped preserve the team's unbeaten streak, which had last been seen in the season‑opening game of 2018.
Beyond the on‑field action, the match was notable for being Cal Poly’s first non‑conference encounter with UC Davis since 2006, a milestone that added extra significance to the tie. The Mustangs will now navigate a stretch of five home games in the next seven contests, beginning with a showdown against San Jose State on August 27.