Salazar-Ortega Hat Trick Lifts Cal Poly to No. 5 Seed
Cal Poly's women's soccer team clinched the No. 5 seed in the Big West Championship tournament with a 3-1 win over Sacramento State.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Soccer
Cal Poly Women's Soccer defeated Sacramento State 3-1 on Oct. 31 to clinch the No. 5 seed in the Big West Championship tournament. Forward Isis Salazar-Ortega scored all three goals, the ninth hat trick in program history.
Why it matters
The result was a must-win for Cal Poly to finish among the top six Big West teams advancing to the tournament. Injuries and the loss of veteran players had made the road to the tournament harder this season.
Salazar-Ortega scored at the 22nd and roughly 25th minutes, then at the 63rd minute, with Kate Nunes assisting on all three goals. Goalkeeper Shannon Porubski recorded three saves and allowed no goals before Sacramento State scored once in the final seven minutes against Alyssa Szarlacki.
The players
Isis Salazar-Ortega
Cal Poly forward who scored a hat trick in the Sacramento State match, the seventh player in program history to do so.
Kate Nunes
Cal Poly freshman forward who assisted on all three of Salazar-Ortega's goals in the match.
The details
Salazar-Ortega's first goal came in the 22nd minute, assisted by freshman forward Kate Nunes, and her second came less than three minutes later, also assisted by Nunes. Her third goal came in the 63rd minute, and her previous goal this season had come on Sept. 10 against Pacific.
Timeline
Sept. 10: Salazar-Ortega scored her previous goal this season against Pacific.
Oct. 31: Cal Poly defeated Sacramento State 3-1 and clinched the No. 5 seed.
Nov. 4: Cal Poly faces California Baptist at 7 p.m. at CBU Soccer Stadium in the tournament's first round.
Season Trajectory
Cal Poly is competing for a repeat title in the Big West Championship Tournament, and clinching the No. 5 seed keeps that bid alive after a season complicated by injuries and the loss of veteran players. The seeding sets up a first-round trip to face California Baptist on Nov. 4.
The No. 5 seed sets Cal Poly's first-round matchup against California Baptist on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. at CBU Soccer Stadium. Fans following the tournament can track the Mustangs' path from that opening game.
The takeaway
Clinching a top-six finish despite injuries and the loss of veteran players underscores how depth and timely scoring can carry a team through a demanding conference season. Cal Poly's next test comes in the tournament's opening round.
What happens next
Cal Poly plays California Baptist on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. at CBU Soccer Stadium in the first round of the Big West Championship tournament.
Further reading
For more on the team's season, see Soccer coverage of San Luis Obispo.
