After starting out cold and defeating Hawaii late their previous matchup, the Mustangs put the foot on the gas pedal early in the first round of the Big West Tournament and defeated Hawaii 2-1 Sunday afternoon.
Cal Poly had a 2-0 lead at halftime with a 11-2 shot differential thanks to Emily Lieber and Peja Balanon.
Lieber knocked in the fourth quickest goal to open a match in program history, scoring a mere 41 seconds into the match. It was also her first goal of the season. Balanon tallied the game-winning goal in the 39th-minute, her second of the season.
Hawaii scored in the 67th-minute to cut the Mustangs lead in half, but junior goalkeeper Mackenzie Samuel had three saves on the day, helping the front line maintain momentum with their 14-9 shot differential.
Cal Poly advances to the semifinal round to face the No. 2 seed, UC Davis on Thursday, Nov. 2, at Cal State Fullerton. Kickoff is slated for 4:30 p.m.
