SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The Bronco men's soccer team faces long-time Bay Area rival California Friday at 7:30 p.m. at SCU's Stevens Stadium. The match will be broadcast live on TheW.tv.
Santa Clara (3-5-0) has been up and down thus far in 2015, winning 3-of-6 during its current homestand. Forward Carlos Delgadillo (pictured) leads the team in scoring for the second consecutive season. The sophomore from San Jose and Andrew P. Hill High School has seven of SCU's 15 points this season.
No. 20 Cal (5-1) moved back into the latest NSCAA National Rankings after five straight victories – all at home. Friday will be Cal's first road game since opening the season with a 3-0 loss at San Diego. Redshirt sophomore Jose Carrera-Garcia had a hand in five of Cal's six goals in last week's sweep of Davidson and San Francisco.
The two teams have a long-standing soccer rivalry, with Cal winning three straight and 5-of-6 dating back to 2009. Santa Clara's most recent win came in 2011, when David Castellanos, Erik Hurtado, Phillip Muscarella and Glen Vass scored in a 4-1 victory over then-No. 14 Cal in Berkeley.
"By now we know we are good enough to play with anyone," said Santa Clara head coach Cameron Rast, who took his team on the road to play No. 2 North Carolina and No. 15 Wake Forest to begin the year. "We can defend. We can attack. We have skill. We are athletic. We have size and speed. We have goalkeeping and goal scorers. We work hard. The biggest challenge is the mastery of ourselves."
The Broncos took a hard-luck loss on Sunday against Cal State Nothridge, losing 2-0 on a pair of penalty kicks. The Broncos out-shot the Matadors 8-7, and had a PK chance of their own late in the second half, which was blocked.
Friday night's match wraps up a 7-game September homestand for Santa Clara. The Broncos play at San Jose State Thursday, Oct. 1 and at No. 9 Akron Tuesday, Oct. 6 before beginning their WCC schedule at home against San Francisco on Oct. 11.
Fans can purchase tickets online or contact the SCU ticket office by calling (408) 554-4660.
