Cal Poly Humboldt Women Clinch CCAA Title, Advance to NCAA Tournament

The Cal Poly Humboldt women’s soccer team just made history by winning the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) tournament. That victory secured them an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II tournament.

This incredible run came after a string of tough matches. They capped it off with a gritty 1-0 win over Chico State.

The Jacks, seeded fifth, leaned on a rock-solid defense all season. They piled up 13 shutouts and showed they could hang with the best teams in the league.

Now, they’re gearing up to face Cal Poly Pomona again in the first round of the NCAA tournament. That rematch should be interesting.

Cal Poly Humboldt’s Road to Victory

Their journey to the CCAA championship wasn’t a walk in the park. As the fifth seed, Humboldt had to claw their way through some serious obstacles.

They kicked things off with a quarterfinal against Cal State San Bernardino that went all the way to penalty kicks. The Jacks pulled out a 4-2 win there, leaning on their defense for yet another shutout.

Quarterfinal Triumph

On the road, Humboldt faced Cal State San Bernardino in an intense quarterfinal. The match ended in a draw, so it all came down to penalty kicks.

Humboldt’s defenders held their ground, and the players kept cool under pressure. They converted four of five penalties to seal the win.

Semifinal Showdown

Next up were the top-seeded Cal Poly Pomona Broncos in the semifinals. It was a tight contest, but Humboldt edged out a 1-0 victory.

The defense stepped up again, and a clutch goal made the difference. That put them in the final against Chico State.

The Championship Match

The final versus Chico State really showed the Jacks’ grit. Both squads had strong seasons and kept things locked down at the back, so chances were hard to come by.

But Humboldt amped up their attack in the second half, setting the tone as the clock ticked down.

Decisive Goal

The breakthrough finally came in the 75th minute. Alexis Blue scored on a sliding shot from about 12 yards out.

Heidie Munoz set her up, and Blue made a quick touch to the right before sliding the ball into the left corner, past Chico State’s diving keeper. It was a moment to remember.

Defensive Prowess

Once again, Humboldt’s defense proved vital. They logged their 13th shutout of the year, showing nerves of steel under pressure.

Several Jacks earned spots on the all-tournament team, with Josie Wolitzky named Defensive MVP and Nicole Beauchemin taking Offensive MVP honors.

Coach Landy’s Reflections

Head coach Grant Landy couldn’t hide his pride in the team’s effort. He singled out the defense and praised the squad’s depth.

Landy pointed out that the team had basically lived in playoff mode for three weeks. That experience helped them handle the intensity of the tournament.

He said making the national tournament means a lot—not just for the players, but for the whole athletics department and university.