SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Sunday afternoon showed that Saint Mary's Women's Soccer has a flair for the dramatic in 2021. After falling behind 1-0 early in the match, the Gaels hung around just long enough to take advantage on two goals in the second half, including one with less than four minutes remaining, to beat Cal Poly by a 2-1 margin. With the win, Saint Mary's improves to 2-0 for the first time since the 2014 season.
 
SHIBUKAWA SENDS ONE IN
The Gaels offense was held in check during the first half, only racking up three shots with just one of them being on target. Things changed in the second half, and that was thanks in large part to the efforts of Suzuna Shibukawa. In just her second match in a Gael uniform, Shibukawa paced the team in shots again, with six total after putting up five in the opener on Thursday. This time, she found the back of the net in the 74^th minute. After a corner kick that helped set up control in the offensive-third, Shibukawa was able to find an open part of the net past the arms of the Cal Poly keeper for her first goal of the year, tying the match at 1-1.
 
SHE DOES IT AGAIN!
SMC took advantage of a miscue from the Mustangs to get the game-winning goal, and once again, it was Shibukawa as the beneficiary. A goal kick from Cal Poly wound up being deflected right to the Gaels, who were able to make a quick pass to find a wide open Shibukawa, and she was able to sneak another one into the net, sending Saint Mary's into elation. Alexis Gutierrez, who scored on Thursday in her collegiate debut, came through with her first collegiate assist on the game-winning goal for Shibukawa. This marks her second two-goal game as a collegiate athlete, after scoring twice in the spring while she played with Western Michigan in a match against Eastern Michigan.
 
FENDING THEM OFF
The Gaels then needed to fight off a strong rush from the Mustangs, that did result in one chance late in the match. With just under 2:30 remaining in regulation, Taylor Poland needed to come up with a low save off a Mustang chance, her second save of the match, which kept the Gaels in front. Despite the early goal coming for Cal Poly, Poland was great the rest of the way and looked the part of a preseason All-WCC goalkeeper. Even with the late rush by the Mustangs, Saint Mary's outshot Cal Poly 12-8, including a 5-3 win in shots on goal and eight corners versus just two for the home team.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Mary's returns home for the second home match of the season when they host San Diego State on Thursday afternoon at 4:00 pm. Their match will be the second of the day, as the men's soccer squad will host Cal at 1:00 pm directly before. The Gaels and Aztecs have not met since the 2013 season, when the Gaels fell 1-0 in San Diego to an 11^th-ranked Aztecs team.
 
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