ARCATA, Calif. - Sixth-ranked Cal Poly Pomona was outlasted by No. 4 Cal State LA on penalty kicks in the final of the 2023 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Men's Soccer Tournament at College Creek Field on the campus of host Cal Poly Humboldt on Sunday afternoon.

The result of the match officially goes down as a 0-0 double-overtime draw, with Cal State LA winning via penalty-kick tiebreaker, 4-3. Neither side could find the back of the net through 90 minutes of regulation and a pair of 10-minute extra periods.

Sunday's marquee final pitted two fierce top-10-ranked rivals each of whom entered (and leave) with a solitary loss on the season, both at home as the Broncos are now 8-0-3 and the Golden Eagles 7-0-2 outside of their friendly confines. CSULA had won 10 straight, and CPP a season-best six in a row. The Broncos are 6-0-2 over their last eight.

Having wrapped up its ninth consecutive CCAA Tournament appearance, No. 2 seed Cal Poly Pomona moves to 13-1-5 overall. The Broncos are three-time victors in the past and were playing in their seventh final, all coming since 2014. CCAA regular-season champion and top seed Cal State LA moves to 16-1-2 following its sixth successive league final. This marks the program's record-tying seventh tourney banner in all, third in succession, and fifth over the last six editions. The only break in this run was CPP's title in Matt O'Sullivan's first season in charge in 2019. The Broncos bested CSULA on penalties in that year's title tilt, 5-4, after a 1-1 deadlock through 110 minutes in La Jolla.

Both teams will play on into the 2023 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship, CSULA as the CCAA's automatic qualifier and CPP as an at-large invitee. The Golden Eagles and Broncos were rated second and third, respectively, in Wednesday's latest official NCAA poll for Super Region 4, with 10 spots available. The NCAA selection show is set to air live on NCAA.com beginning at 4 p.m. PT on Monday, Nov. 13. It will be an eighth straight NCAA postseason trip for CPP.

The Broncos have never played anyone more in the CCAA Tournament, now at 1-4-2 against the Golden Eagles, though they are 0-4-2 over the past six meetings since a 3-2 double-overtime semifinal triumph in 2015.

The first shot of the game by either side was from Bronco center back Marcus Jorgensen, a right-footer from distance that didn't much trouble All-CCAA Second Team goalkeeper Julian Aadlandsvik. Both, ironically, are sophomore Scandinavians, with Jorgensen a native of Denmark and Aadlandsvik a fourth-year Golden Eagle from Norway.

In the 18th minute, Mads Frederiksen sent Max Laguna's right-sided cross over the bar from about six yards. The 31st saw All-American captain and 2023 CCAA Defender of the Year Cesar Ruvalcaba take a through pass from fellow senior Christian Miramontes and loft a right-footed attempt high of the target from 23 yards out.

Following a steal by sophomore reserve forward Sam Lena at the edge of CPP's offensive third, senior All-American Paul Roger Henschke also narrowly missed the frame from inside six yards on the left in the 36th.

Cal State LA's best opportunity of the first half came in the 41st minute, as a stellar through ball into the penalty box down the right side turned into an Oscar Cardenas shot from the right diagonal that was blocked out barely past the far post for a corner kick. Tommaso Belli's left-footer from 18 yards went wide to the right in the 44th.

The Broncos dodged a couple of bullets over the first 15 minutes of the second half, as right-sided crosses were flipped just high from close range, first by CCAA Player and Midfielder of the Year Oliver Diaz in the 50th, and then Carl Solli in the 59th.

CPP briefly thought it had an opener in the 67th minute, when Kevin Hernandez nodded home Miramontes' perfect cross from the left, but the assistant referee's flag was up for offside. In the 73rd, sophomore Jakob Singh pounced on a defensive mistake and got to the ball ahead of a charging Aadlandsvik, but put his shot agonizingly wide of the left post.

The Broncos produced all four shots of the first overtime. Jasper Winslow's left-footer from 18 yards straight on was deflected over the crossbar for a corner kick in the 93rd. Moments later, Woody Angell's shot from the same distance was picked up easily by Aadlandsvik.

Cal State LA was shooting first in the tiebreak, and got conversions in order from Bryan Ortega, Solli, Diaz and Belli over the first four rounds. Meanwhile, Aadlandsvik dove to his right to deny Angell on CPP's initial attempt. In the fifth round, Jeppe Paulsen skied his effort to keep Bronco hopes alive, only for Aadlandsvik to dash them once more, saving Fin Jackson's right-footer to end the drama. Winslow, Laguna and Ruvalcaba had made no mistake in between.

Fourth-year senior CPP goalkeeper CJ Walker finished with two saves in his eighth consecutive start, picking up his third individual clean sheet of 2023 and 12th for his college career. Aadlandsvik, who has begun all 19 matches and played every minute, was credited with a career-high-tying eight stops to notch his 14th shutout, which leads all of Division II. CPP held a 23-12 shot advantage, including 6-1 after regulation.

Jorgensen, Lena, Walker and All-American graduate student Melvyn Perez Cortez made the All-Tournament Team from CPP. Aadlandsvik was the Tournament Defensive MVP and Ortega the Offensive MVP.

The Golden Eagles had handed the Broncos their first loss of the campaign, 1-0, in the regular-season meeting between the foes in Pomona back on Oct. 12, with Diaz netting the only goal in the 16th minute. CPP has not lost since that night.

Bronco Bits:

• CPP is 50-14-18 (.720) overall and 3-1-3 (.643) in CCAA Tournament play under fifth-year (fourth season) head coach Matt O'Sullivan
• O'Sullivan sent out the same starting 11 for the third match in a row
• CJ Walker's start was his 25th in the green and gold
• Paul Roger Henschke is the lone Bronco to start all 19 games, and he has begun 23 straight going back to late last season
• Walker, Fin Jackson, Marcus Jorgensen, Cesar Ruvalcaba and Jasper Winslow played the full 110 minutes
• CPP is 8-5-4 after its 10th CCAA Tournament appearance all-time, including 1-3-3 in finals, 5-3-2 at neutral venues, 6-2-2 as the No. 2 seed, 0-1-2 against No. 1 seeds, and 1-4-2 against CSULA
• Cal State LA leads the all-time series, 36-22-8, now an undefeated 6-0-1 (last five were shutouts) over the past seven meetings since a 1-0 Bronco home decision on Sept. 25, 2021, through an 11th-minute Henschke strike
• CPP has not scored against Cal State LA in 475:09
• The Broncos are 0-2-2 versus the Golden Eagles at neutral sites (all La Jolla before today), 2-5-2 in postseason matchups, and 1-7-2 under O'Sullivan (0-0-2 neutral)
• 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 65-21-16 as a nationally-ranked program since 2002, including 27-8-15 under O'Sullivan and 13-1-5 in 2023
• The Broncos are 25-37-13 against nationally-ranked opponents, also since 2002, 8-11-6 with O'Sullivan in charge, and 3-1-2 this season (0-1-1 vs. CSULA)
• They are 4-9-5 in that stretch against top-five foes (1-3-3 with O'Sullivan and 0-0-2 this year).

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