Cal Poly Women’s Soccer Picks up a Win… and some Momentum?

Cal Poly’s Bianca Burright scored two goals in her second game back after being injured for over a year. Photo by Owen Main

Before Big West Conference play began, Cal Poly women’s soccer coach Alex Crozier had to make a decision. With so many injuries to key players, Crozier had to simplify his strategy — and his team’s formation.

On Sunday afternoon, one of those previously-injured players, Bianca Burright, scored twice in only her second game of the year and the Mustangs pulled away from visiting Hawaii to win 5-2 and remain atop the Big West Conference standings. The second-leading goal scorer as a sophomore during the 2010 season, Burright has been sidelined since 2010 with two hip injuries.

Without second-leading scorer Sara Epps, Cal Poly needed Burright’s offensive explosion to keep pace with Hawaii early-on.

Burright struck the games first goal in the 13th minute, assisted by Cici Kobinski. Hawaii answered with a goal of their own 8 minutes later. The match was tied 1-1 at halftime.

Kobinski answered with a goal of her own less than one minute into the second half, dribbling past 3 defenders from 45 yards out and beating the keeper far post. Once again, Hawaii answered quickly, knotting the score at 2 apiece less than six minutes later.

Burright’s second goal, calmly controlled and buried, gave the Mustangs a 3-2 lead they would not relinquish.

When Hawaii pushed forward, trying to answer again, Freshman forward Elise Krieghoff put away two late goals to give Cal Poly a sizable 5-2 victory. Krieghoff’s two goals put her into double digits with 10 goals in 15 games. The Mustangs stand atop the conference with a record of 5-0-1 (8-5-2 overall). Only three games remain (at UC Riverside, at Cal State Fullerton, and home vs. UCSB) before the Big West Conference Tournament, which starts November 1.

Photos by Owen Main

Photos by David Livingston