POMONA, Calif. - Battling from behind, the Broncos earned a 1-1 draw against Cal State East Bay on Sunday afternoon at Kellogg Stadium. The result moves Cal Poly Pomona to 7-3-5 overall and 2-2-3 in conference play as the team continues its push toward postseason contention.
The Broncos controlled much of the first half, creating several early chances but struggling to find the finishing touch. Shots from Aleksandar Somov, Clement Badger, Daniel Gutierrez, Miguel Gonzalez, and Marvin Gamez kept constant pressure on the East Bay defense. Gamez was especially active, leading the team with five shots. Despite the offensive momentum, the Broncos went into halftime trailing after the Pioneers scored midway through the first half.
Cal Poly Pomona came out of the break with renewed energy and quickly found their equalizer. In the 54th minute, Emiliano Garcia scored with a composed finish inside the box after an assist from Mads Frederiksen. The goal shifted the momentum firmly in the Broncos' favor as they continued to attack relentlessly, generating 11 second-half shots and seven corner kicks.
The Broncos nearly completed the comeback when Somov stepped up to take a penalty kick in the 69th minute, but his effort went wide. Despite that setback, the team continued to press forward with strong efforts from Sam Lena, Andres Gutierrez, and Gamez, all of whom came close to scoring the go-ahead goal.
Goalkeeper Jack Chapman anchored the defense and finished with one save, while the back line, led by Noah Ko, Joseph Spencer, and Garcia, limited the Pioneers to just three total shots. Cal Poly Pomona finished with 20 shots overall and three on target.
Up Next:
The Broncos will hit the road to face Cal State San Marcos in San Marcos, Calif. on Friday, October 31st at 12:30 PM.
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