SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Declan Horio's first collegiate goal was all UC Davis needed to earn all three points in its Big West Conference opener, taking down hosts Cal Poly 1-0 on Wednesday night.
It was a tight matchup that didn't feature many scoring opportunities over the 90 minutes, with just 10 shots total between the two teams. The Aggies tallied just one shot on target, an effort that proved to be the winning goal. The Aggies remain unbeaten away from home (2-0-2).
The defensive backline of
Ethan Hoard,
Luke Goodman,
Sean Bilter, and
Cole Pond were outstanding in the effort to preserve the clean sheet as the quartet played all 90 minutes in the win.
Charles Janssen was tested five times between the posts, and he was as reliable as always, making five saves on the night. The goalkeeper also picked up his second assist of the season, delivering another well-placed ball into the final third.
The first scoring chance of the game came in the 20
th minute when
Ian Ngonethong made a good run down the left wing before cutting onto his right foot and whipping in a dangerous cross to the feet of
Lucas Fernandez-Kim. The midfielder nearly got his shot off from six yards out, but the Cal Poly goalkeeper was quick to pounce on the scene.
UC Davis' winning moment came in the 26
th minute when
Charles Janssen launched a wonderful long ball to the head of
Cason Goodman, who expertly flicked his header to freshman
Declan Horio. The Hawaiian showed excellent composure on the right side of the penalty area, taking on a defender before shifting the ball onto his left foot and tucking his shot into the bottom corner to give his team the early lead.
The Aggies would take this one-goal advantage into the break after a first half that featured just four shots between the two sides, with UC Davis firing three of them.
The second half would prove to be quite cagey as neither team could muster more than a half chance. However, Cal Poly nearly found the equalizer in 79
th minute when its striker spun onto his right front from 12 yards out, but Janssen was up to the task, coming up with an important save to preserve the clean sheet and all three points for his squad.
Goals
26' – UC Davis (Horio)
Up Next
The Ags go for their third straight win and look to stay unbeaten in conference play when they head to Cal State Fullerton on Sept. 30. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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