2025 Big West women’s soccer champion Cal Poly’s season came to an end after falling to top top-seeded and No. 1 nationally ranked Stanford in the first round of the 2025 Big West Women’s Soccer National Championship, hosted on the campus of the Cardinal.

Cal Poly opened its NCAA Tournament return with a statement on Friday night, striking just 49 seconds into the match and pushing top-seeded Stanford for a full 90 minutes before falling 3–1 at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium.

The Mustangs wasted no time asserting themselves on the national stage. Jessie Halladay delivered her 10th goal of the season in the opening minute, burying a finish off a perfectly timed feed from Madelyn Dougherty to give Cal Poly a 1–0 lead and silence the Cardinal crowd. The early breakthrough marked the fastest goal in program postseason history.

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Stanford equalized in the seventh minute and added a 36th-minute strike to take a 2–1 lead into halftime, but the Mustangs remained firmly in the fight. Cal Poly generated quality chances, including efforts from Lauren Collier, Camryn Penn, and multiple looks from Jessie Halladay, who led the team with four shots and three on target.

The Mustangs’ defensive unit and goalkeeper Shannon Porubski kept the match within reach throughout a Stanford-heavy second half. Porubski turned in one of the night’s standout performances, producing seven saves—every one of them after halftime—and denying dangerous attempts from Jasmine Aikey, Shae Harvey, and Joelle Jung as Stanford pressed forward with 23 total shots.

Cal Poly continued to push until the final whistle, earning four second-half corners and forcing Stanford’s keeper into three saves over the last 45 minutes. Penn nearly cut the deficit late with a well-placed shot in the 90th minute, but Birkel smothered the attempt.

Despite the final scoreline, the Mustangs showcased the resilience, defensive grit, and attacking quality that carried them to their first Big West title in 21 years and back onto the national postseason stage. With a young core and multiple all-conference honorees returning, Cal Poly exits the NCAA Tournament with momentum—and a performance worthy of a conference champion.