POMONA - The Cal Poly Pomona women's soccer team dominated and blanked Cal State San Bernardino, 2-0, in the non-conference 2021 season opener for both California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and area rivals on Thursday at Kellogg Stadium.

The Broncos (1-0) were back on the pitch for a meaningful game for the first time in 651 days due to the COVID-19 global pandemic which wiped out the entire 2020 slate in the CCAA.

It took just over seven and a half minutes for the home side to notch its first shot attempt of the new season, courtesy of star senior striker Taylor Scott, with Bridget Carbonneau's effort just seconds later necessitating a first save from junior Coyote net-minder Carly Luna.

At the 13:54 mark, it was 1-0 in favor of Cal Poly Pomona, as a first-timed, right-sided cross from Jessica Llamas following a pass by Allyssa Larkin, found Bronco debutante Emma Barrow just outside the six-yard box at the near post. The University of San Diego graduate transfer made her presence in the program felt immediately by burying her right-footed shot low and to the left of Luna for CPP's first goal of 2021. Llamas and Larkin were each given assists on the play.

The Broncos came close to doubling their advantage in the 24th minute, as what looked to be a hopeful cross from Llamas again off the right flank, sailed over Luna's outstretched arms and appeared to glance off the inside of the far post. Cassie Snow's strong left-footed shot from 22 yards out late in the period was caught with some difficulty by Luna.

Elise Garcia produced an even longer-ranged effort in the 50th minute coming out of the interval, which equally troubled Luna on the save. In the 68th minute, Larkin deftly dribbled through the legs of a defender on the right diagonal before forcing Luna down to her left to deny a left-footed shot toward the near post. Moments later, Scott was turned away by Luna once more at the far post after a corner kick.

At 75:40, the game was effectively put out of reach by Cal Poly Pomona. A right-sided corner kick bounced off the heads of Scott first at the far post, and then Larkin in the middle, before the final contact was made by a lunging Coyote defender as the ball found the back of the net. The score that made it 2-0, initially went down as an own goal, but was later changed to Larkin's first of 2021, with Scott getting the assist.

In the 77th minute, Larkin's fierce shot was narrowly slapped off the crossbar and away by Luna, as was Phoebe Amaro's try in the 89th.

CPP goalkeeper Sydney Williams barely touched the ball on the evening and didn't have to make a single save to notch her 15th career clean sheet and second in a row against CSUSB. Luna wound up with 11 stops for the visitors.

The hosts held an 8-2 shot advantage over the first 45 minutes and a commanding 21-3 margin for the match. They earned eight corner kicks and allowed none.

Cal Poly Pomona next faces its first road test of 2021, exactly one week from tonight on Thursday, Sept. 9, at Azusa Pacific. The primetime kickoff at the Cougar Soccer Complex in Azusa is set for 7 p.m. The Broncos will be back at Kellogg Stadium to begin a season-long four-match home stand on Friday night, Sept. 17, again at 7 p.m.

Bronco Bits: Cal Poly Pomona was originally supposed to begin its 2021 season at home against Point Loma on Thursday evening, but had to pivot to a non-conference matchup with CSUSB due to COVID-19 issues within the Sea Lion program ... CPP is now 3-2 in season openers under sixth-year head coach Jay Mason, 1-4 in home openers, and 36-27-12 (.560) overall ... The Broncos are 3-2 against the Coyotes with Mason at the helm, including a perfect 3-0 in Pomona by an 8-1 aggregate score ... Phoebe Amaro and Bridget Carbonneau each drew their first collegiate starts, while University of San Diego transfer Emma Barrow made her Bronco debut as a starter up top ... UNLV transfer Krista Eberle made her CPP debut, and Gillian Ortin, Lindsay Sung, Nicolle Villarreal and true freshman Jaclyn Cuevas their first college appearances, all off the bench in the first half ... Kalani Oyama and true freshman Melanie Harradine came on at halftime for their debuts, with Sydney Kallmann and Jenna Schutter entering for their first collegiate action late in the contest ... Cal Poly Pomona is favored for second in the CCAA preseason coaches' poll, with CSUSB picked for 11th ... The league contest between these sides will also take place at Kellogg Stadium, on Thursday, Oct. 14, again at 4:30 p.m. ... The Broncos had last seen their 2019 campaign end via 3-1 defeat to eventual West Region finalist Point Loma in a first-round contest of the NCAA Division II Championship in La Jolla back on Nov. 21, 2019.