HAYWARD, Calif. - Second-seeded Cal Poly Pomona succumbed to top-seeded fellow regular-season co-champion Cal State Dominguez Hills following a penalty-kick tiebreaker, 6-5, in the title match of the 2024 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Men's Soccer Tournament presented by FloCollege at host Cal State East Bay's Pioneer Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

With what goes down officially as a tie after 110 scoreless minutes, No. 23 CPP moves to 12-1-7. The Broncos' unbeaten streak is now a new program record at 18 matches (11-0-7), eclipsing the 17-gamer (16-0-1) from Nov. 3, 2013, to Oct. 24, 2014. CSUDH, receiving votes outside of the top 25 of the latest United Soccer Coaches national poll on Nov. 5, is 10-4-6. The Broncos and Toros played to a 1-1 draw in Pomona in their regular-season meeting on Oct. 20.

CSUDH appeared to have the better of play for the most part in the first half, particularly utilizing five corner kicks to generate dangerous opportunities. Arguably the Toros' best chance came with about 10 minutes left, however, on an attack down the left flank. The ball was crossed over to the right, only for senior midfielder Logan Kaufman's right-footed blast from 18 yards to whiz narrowly wide of the right post.

About five minutes later, CSUDH gained a free kick on the left edge of the 18-yard box that was very nearly a penalty kick. Sophomore defender Diego Barahona's left-footed direct effort sailed high. The Toros out-shot the Broncos over the first 45 by a 10-0 tally.

CPP was finally credited with its first shot attempt of the afternoon a little over a minute into the second half, but tri-captain Jasper Winslow's left-footer was never going to trouble the CSUDH goalkeeper. The Broncos then picked up their first corner kick in the 53rd, but nothing came of the ball sent to the far post by senior midfielder Mike Moser.

Each team had a golden chance for a sudden-victory winner in the two 10-minute overtime periods. First in the 96th minute, Toro senior Mikey McKibbin, the 2024 CCAA Player and Forward of the Year as the league's leading goal-scorer with a career-best 14, juked his defender toward the end line and crossed from right to left for a right-footed shot from eight yards by CCAA Freshman of the Year Gavin Brummer at the far post that was blocked out for a corner kick by CPP freshman defender Liam McFarlane.

As the initial extra period was coming to an end, Bronco freshman Aleksandar Somov stole the ball and fed senior Max Laguna for a left-footed shot from the top of the 18 that was blocked away.

In the 107th minute, true junior forward Jakob Singh held off the final defender to latch onto a long ball and dribbled into the penalty area, but CSUDH goalie Arturo Magaña made a spectacular game-saving stop. With seconds remaining before penalties, fourth-year CPP keeper Luke Garciduenas went down to corral a tough shot by Davien Karanikolas.

In the tiebreaker, Rocco Bon, Woody Angell and Marc Birkelund converted their tries around a miss high above the crossbar, as the Toros had the upper hand heading toward the back end. Garciduenas had other plans, however, and came up huge with a diving save to his right to turn away Sergio Valenzuela and keep CPP hopes alive after four rounds.

The fifth and sixth rounds saw Winslow and Moser successes answered by Kenny Lee and Kaufman. Finally in the seventh, Magaña matched his counterpart with a diving save to his right, enabling Karanikolas to end the drama right-footed into the right side.

Garciduenas collected five saves over the 110 minutes to extend his single-season career best now to nine shutouts. He has 14 career clean sheets. Magaña, a graduate student, made two stops in regulation and overtime to give him seven shutouts in 2024 and 10 as a two-year Toro.

CPP allowed a season-high 25 shots, managing 10 of its own. The Broncos and Toros had begun the day as the CCAA's top two offenses by far, with 43 and 42 goals scored on the year, respectively.

CPP's All-Tournament Team picks were Garciduenas, senior tri-captain Fin Jackson, and junior strikers Mads Frederiksen and Sam Lema.

Sunday marked Cal Poly Pomona's eighth CCAA final appearance overall and fourth in five opportunities under first-time CCAA Coach of the Year Matt O'Sullivan. The Broncos won the 2019 edition in the leader's first go-around in charge, following back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015 for three crowns total.

Up Next
Sunday's result gives Cal State Dominguez Hills the CCAA's automatic bid into the 2024 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship. The selection show, which airs live on NCAA.com, is slated for a 3:30 p.m. PT start on Monday, Nov. 18. The Broncos are left to await an at-large invitation. In Wednesday's third edition of the official NCAA regional listings, CPP dropped two spots from fifth to seventh in Super Region 4, which again holds 10 entries into the NCAA Championship.

Bronco Bits

• Cal Poly Pomona is 63-16-25 (.726) overall and 4-1-4 (.667) in CCAA Tournament play under sixth-year (fifth season) head coach Matt O'Sullivan, who on Sept. 22 took over the No. 1 position in the CPP record book for wins.
• O'Sullivan, who also currently boasts the top winning percentage in program annals, sent out the same 11 for the third straight match, and has used 15 different starting lineups through 20 games.
• True freshman Daniel Gutierrez remains the only Bronco to start all 20 matches.
• Luke Garciduenas, Fin Jackson, Liam McFarlane, Joseph Spencer and Jasper Winslow played the full 110 minutes.
• Out of 1,820 minutes played this season, the Broncos have trailed for just 195:27.
• This is the fourth straight year that CPP has produced an unbeaten streak of double-digit games.
• The previous season high by a Bronco foe for shots in 2024 was 16 by Cal State East Bay on Oct. 11.
• The 25 shots were the most allowed by Cal Poly Pomona since Cal State San Marcos generated 26 over 110 minutes in a 1-1 home draw on Oct. 6, 2019.
• CPP is 9-5-5 after its 11th CCAA Tournament appearance all-time, including 1-3-4 in finals, 5-3-3 at neutral sites, 7-2-3 as the No. 2 seed, 0-1-3 against No. 1 seeds, 1-0-1 against CSUDH, 2-1-5 in overtime, and 2-3 in shootouts.
• CSUDH leads this all-time series going back to 1983, 40-18-13, with CPP having played no opponent more (71).
• The Broncos are an unbeaten 3-0-4 with four straight ties over the last seven matchups since a 1-0 home loss on Sept. 15, 2017.
• CPP is 2-0-1 against the Toros at neutral venues and 2-0-4 under O'Sullivan.
• CPP is 76-23-23 as a nationally-ranked program since 2002, including 38-10-22 under O'Sullivan and 10-1-7 in 2024.