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The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

Gator men's soccer clutches second win of season against Cal Poly Pomona

SF State and Cal Poly Pomona
Sam Merritt (20), SF State defender fights for control of the ball from Cal Poly Pomona's Johnny Mercer (20), at Cox Stadium, Oct. 21, 2012. Photo by Sam Battles/ Xpress

The Gators find their form in their second consecutive win of the season with a 2-1 win against the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos.

SF State demolished their winless conference record in their last game and are now looking to finish off the season on a strong surge. Sophomore Kevin Johnson said they want to knock off some of the top teams in the conference next week.

“The least we can do is get (CSU) Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A. out of the playoffs,” Johnson said.

According to head coach Joe Hunter there is a list of goals the Gators have set up in their locker room. To the Gators, playoffs may not be on the line, but pride is.

The SF State players had their scoring boots on, with both offenses asking questions of one another, with searching through balls littering the 18-yard-box in the first half.

Freshman Sam Merritt caused a ton problems for the Cal Poly defense, but it was the Broncos who struck first, with Kris Korich’s cross meeting Matt Boudreau inside the six-yard-box, leaving him to convert from close range.

“I kind of got in to them at halftime because it was a stupid goal to give up,” Hunter said. “There was no way we should have given up that goal.”

But the Gators were able to mount a second-half comeback that they hope to build on and create momentum for their last two games of the season.

A perfectly placed deep ball from sophomore Nathan Fernandez found senior Jason Borges in the box where he won a header that rattled the cross bar but snuck in just across the goal line for Borges second goal of the season. The goal tied up the game 1-1.

SF State was able to find the winning goal that escaped them in the first half of the season when junior Kristian Fuentes came into the box and forced the own goal when his shot was spilled by the Bronco’s Anthony Iniguez. It was Fuentes’ first goal of the season.

“It was crucial for us for them to come through,” Johnson said.” Fernandez came through and with Fuentes’ goal, those guys really came through.”

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Gator men's soccer clutches second win of season against Cal Poly Pomona