ARCATA, Calif. - Sixth-ranked Cal Poly Pomona took less than 10 minutes to tally the only two goals it would need to dispatch No. 21 Cal State Monterey Bay, 2-1, in a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Men's Soccer Tournament semifinal on Friday afternoon at College Creek Field on the campus of host Cal Poly Humboldt.

Cal Poly Pomona, making its ninth consecutive tourney appearance as the No. 2 seed, improves to 13-1-4 with a season-best sixth victory in a row. CSUMB, which had entered the day with back-to-back wins and an unbeaten mark of 3-0-1 over its last four, falls to 12-4-4.

The three-time CCAA tourney champion Broncos advance to their seventh final, all coming since 2014. They will take on the victor of the second semifinal between fourth-ranked CCAA regular-season champion and tournament top seed Cal State LA, and No. 5 seed Cal State San Marcos. The final is set for a 12 p.m. kickoff this Sunday, Nov. 12, also on the College Creek Field turf and airing on the CCAA Network. The winner earns the CCAA's automatic berth into the 2023 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship.

Even if the Broncos falter Sunday, they remain in great shape for an eighth straight bid to the NCAA postseason. Wednesday's latest edition of the official NCAA regional rankings had CPP at No. 3 out of 12 teams currently under consideration for 10 spots from Super Region 4. CSUMB was at No. 5 and Cal State LA at No. 2 only behind Midwestern State of Texas. That selection show can be viewed live on NCAA.com on Monday, Nov. 13, beginning at 4 p.m. PT.

The result not only put CPP into another final, but it also gave fifth-year head coach Matt O'Sullivan milestone win No. 50 in charge of the green and gold. His Broncos are 8-0-2 outside of Pomona in 2023.

CPP jumped on top just 129 seconds in. From a right-sided cross, Mike Moser's initial shot was blocked and fourth-year junior midfielder Max Laguna's rebound effort was saved out for a corner kick by CSUMB goalie Jack Blickenstaff. Laguna's ensuing left-footed corner kick from the right side was headed in from the edge of the six-yard box by Marcus Jorgensen. It was the sophomore center back's second of the season as a first-year Louisville transfer, and Laguna's fourth assist.

CPP has now opened the scoring within 10 minutes of the initial whistle in seven of its 18 games this season.

By the 10 minute-mark at 9:56, it was 2-0. Moser's ball over the top down the right flank sent Paul Roger Henschke sprinting into the penalty box, where he was fouled. Woody Angell put away the penalty kick to double the Bronco advantage. The goal marked the sophomore midfielder's fifth for CPP, all this season, with three coming in as many games here late in the campaign.

The scoring flurry continued, as this time it was the Otters pulling one back at 12:52. CSUMB earned a right-sided free kick through a CPP foul. Janos Kömmerling lofted it toward the far edge of the six-yard box, where Garrett Hayes got a perfect, strong header on it to send the ball into the upper right corner for the senior defender's first as a second-year Otter. The assist was Kömmerling's team-leading sixth.

After such a furious start, there were no further goals scored even after the halftime interval on a rainy afternoon in the extreme northern part of the state. Making a seventh start in a row, all four of CPP goalkeeper CJ Walker's saves came in the second stanza. Three of them happened over just the first 10 minutes as the fourth-year senior denied Jose Madrigal in the 48th, Roberto Banegas in the 52nd, and Julian Lomeli in the 55th. Walker finally turned away Miguel Guerrero just 3:37 from the end.

Blickenstaff, a fourth-year sophomore, had three stops for CSUMB. CPP out-shot the Otters, 15-13, with each side producing five on target and six corner kicks. Six combined yellow cards were issued.

The Broncos had earned a 3-1 road triumph over the Otters in Seaside in their regular-season meeting back on Oct. 22.

Bronco Bits:

• CPP is 50-14-17 (.722) overall and 3-1-2 (.667) in CCAA Tournament play under fifth-year (fourth season) head coach Matt O'Sullivan.
• The Broncos are a still-unbeaten 8-0-2 on their travels in 2023 and 1-0 in neutral-site contests.
• O'Sullivan sent out the same starting 11 for the second match in a row.
• CJ Walker's start was his 24th in the green and gold.
• Junior Mike Moser drew his fifth start on the year and Woody Angell his seventh.
• Paul Roger Henschke is the lone Bronco to start all 18 games in 2023, and he has begun 22 straight going back to late last season.
• Walker, Fin Jackson, Marcus Jorgensen, Melvyn Perez Cortez, Cesar Ruvalcaba and Jasper Winslow all played the full 90 minutes.
• Of CPP's 18 games in 2023, it has scored first in 15 (shut out twice).
• Jorgensen has three collegiate goals, having scored once for Louisville last fall, while Max Laguna has eight career assists.
• The Broncos are the CCAA's top scoring offense, now at 46 goals over 18 matches (2.56 per game).
• CPP is 8-5-3 in 10 CCAA tourneys all-time, including 5-3-1 at neutral venues, 6-2-1 as the No. 2 seed and 1-0 against CSUMB.
• CPP has dominated this series with a 15-3-2 record all-time against CSUMB since 2004, including 10 straight victories since a 3-1 home setback on Oct. 25, 2013.
• Friday marked the first neutral and first postseason meeting between these sides.
• The Broncos are 5-0 versus the Otters under O'Sullivan.
• The Broncos dropped one spot in Tuesday's latest United Soccer Coaches national poll, from a season-high No. 5 (tied) to No. 6.
• CPP is 65-21-15 as a nationally-ranked program since 2002, including 27-8-14 under O'Sullivan and 13-1-4 in 2023.
• The Broncos are 25-37-12 against nationally-ranked opponents, also since 2002, 8-11-5 with O'Sullivan in charge, and 3-1-1 this season (2-0 vs. CSUMB).

CCAA Tournament matches stream live online via the CCAA Network at www.ccaanetwork.com. Fans can also download the CCAA Network app on an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet, and through web streaming devices such as Amazon Fire, Roku and Apple TV. Subscribers have access to all CCAA broadcasts, both live and on-demand, for the low monthly price of $9.95. Over half of each monthly subscription purchase goes directly back to the CCAA athletics department of your choice to support the student-athlete experience. Sign-ups are available right now at each university's network portal. Just go to CCAAnetwork.com, select your favorite team at the top and click the 'Subscribe' button.

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