SAN DIEGO – Three different Toreros scored second-half goals, including the first in the opening five minutes, to lead San Diego to a 3-0 win over Cal Poly on Monday in the 2019 home opener.
 
USD (2-0-0) registered seven of its 16 shots in a scoreless first half, but it quickly broke for an early goal in the second on a powerful strike by Paul Ramlow (50'). Just over twenty minutes later, Jacob Planell directed a header in for a goal and then was followed by Freddy Polzer's first goal of the season in the 77th minute.
 
The Toreros ended the match with 16 shots to four by Cal Poly (0-2-0). Six of the 16 shots were on goal.
 
"Goal scoring is an art," said San Diego head coach Brian Quinn. "There are nights where you create lots and lots of chances, and they don't go in. Our feeling was, in the first half, we did a lot of things well. But what we had to continue to do was play at the same tempo – not slow down, not worry about if we're going to create the chances, but keep playing fast."
 
Despite coming away with only one of its seven first-half shots on goal, San Diego put the pressure on the Mustangs as soon as it could in the second. A point-blank shot by Planell in the 48th narrowly missed on the right side, preceding Ramlow's goal two minutes later. Planell started the first-goal sequence by delivering a ball across to Jimmy Ryan, who headed it to Ramlow for the tally.
 
"Getting the first goal in the first five minutes of the second half helped a lot in the rest of the game because it gave us the confidence to push on for the second and third goals," added Quinn.
 
Planell did not relent in his offensive creation as he later paired with Amit Hefer with an improvisational give-and-go in the 72nd minute. With a 50-50 ball near the top of the 18-yard box won by a sliding Planell, Hefer patiently awaited for Planell to charge into the goal area. Planell then directed the Hefer delivery perfectly past Cal Poly's goalkeeper Carlos Arce-Hurtado to make it 2-0.
 
Five minutes later, Miguel Berry went on a run on the right side, before stopping and tapping the ball to Freddy Polzer. The senior worked around a lunging Arce-Hurtado by taking the ball to the left side and placed his shot in the back of the empty net.

In addition to three different goal scorers, six Toreros registered points. Berry's assist helped bring his season total to a team-best six.
 
USD goalkeeper Matt Wiher recorded his first shutout of the young 2019 season by turning away two shots on goal by Cal Poly. The redshirt sophomore made his most spectacular save in the 29th minute when a Cal Poly cross from the right side found Spencer Held for a header. The 6-3 forward put it on target, but a diving Wiher stopped the ball in its path to keep the match scoreless.
 
More than 1,400 fans were in attendance, including more than half of them in the student section who were behind Wiher during the game-changing save.
 
"It's one of those variables in the soccer," said Quinn about the crowd. "It's always so exciting when you have a crowd (behind you). I am thankful we were able to open the home season like this in front of all of them."
 
The Toreros continue their stretch of five straight home matches when they take on Detroit Mercy on Friday at 7 p.m. in Torero Stadium.