LOS ANGELES - Alison Sauve strikes again.

In the first round of the NCAA playoffs, the Cal Poly Pomona women's soccer team headed to host school Cal State L.A. to play the Sea Lions of Point Loma. In a thrilling finish with a last-minute goal from Sauve, the Broncos earned a 3-2 victory over Point Loma to move on to the second round.
 
The victory was the first NCAA postseason victory that the Broncos have had since 2001. 
 
"We needed the win," said head coach Mike Dibbini. "It was a tough team and they really tested us, coming out with a win was a fantastic result. We had to adjust a bit in the second half, and my fellow coaches were a huge help to me as the girls executed our game plan."

As they have shown often this year, the Broncos are capable of coming out of the gate strong. With just 5:09 gone from the clock the CPP squad put a point up on the board. A Bronco corner kick bounced around in the box, and after the Sea Lions attempted to clear it, Daisy Duran found it and sent a high pass to Alison Sauve, who would send a header into the back of the net. The goal was Sauve's first of the NCAA playoffs.
 
On the opposite side of the half, with just 5:10 left to play, PLNU would tie it up, as a corner kick would work its way around the Broncos' box and receive a hard boot by Amanda Mitchell of Point Loma to tie the score at one apiece. 
 
The teams entered halftime with Point Loma taking more shots than CPP with the numbers at nine for PLNU, and six for the Broncos. Half number one also saw nine total corners as the Sea Lions had five to the CPP four. In the net for the Broncos, Ricki Ives earned four saves in the half.
 
In the second half, the CPP squad showed almost the exact same timing as the first half. With 5:14 gone from the clock, the Broncos scored the go-ahead goal, as a cross from Sauve opened the shooting range for Stacey Atwater. The junior from Saugus sent the ball past the Sea Lions' netminder and put the Broncos up 2-1.
 
This time around, the PLNU squad was a good deal quicker to respond with a goal of its own. Just one minute and 26 seconds later, the scoreboard showed both teams with two. Tara Kracy of Point Loma put some skills to to use, and wrested the ball from a CPP defender. She then sent it into the upper left corner of the goal, tieing the game at two all.
 
If there is a more clutch time to score a goal, you won't often find one better than 20 seconds remaining on the game clock. After a huge offensive push by CPP, Alison Sauve earned her second goal of the night to put the Broncos up 3-2 and earn CPP the win.
 
The Broncos will continue their season on Saturday as they take on the CCAA Champion and host school Cal State LA. THe match is set to begin at 2 p.m.