ATHERTON, CA – HISTORY MADE! Menlo Men's Soccer delivered a statement victory on the biggest stage of its regular season, knocking off No. 13 Cal State Monterey Bay, 1-0, on Thursday afternoon at Menlo College. The monumental win not only secured the Oaks the #5 seed in the CCAA postseason, marking the first postseason appearance in program history, but also stands as the highest nationally ranked opponent Menlo has defeated since becoming an NCAA Division II program. With everything on the line, the Oaks rose to the occasion, took down one of the nation's top teams and punched their ticket to the postseason in unforgettable fashion!
Oak Notes
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Mannuel Portillo delivered the game-winner just 3:26 into the match, finishing off an assist from Giuseppe Sigala.
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Vebjørn Madshus turned away six shots to record his fourth shutout of the season.
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Menlo finished with 14 shots, putting six on target.
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The Oaks held the nationally ranked Otters to just six shots on goal despite facing 21 total attempts.
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Six Oaks played all 90 minutes in the historic performance.
Upset Victory Over Otters
The Oaks came out swinging and wasted absolutely no time making history. Just 3:26 into the match, Manny Portillo found the back of the net to give Menlo an early 1-0 lead. Giuseppe Sigala provided the setup with a long ball from behind half field that fell through traffic to Portillo's feet. Portillo delivered the hard-stricken finish to send the home crowd into celebration after it hit the crossbar and fell to the back of the net. Against the nation's #13 team, the Oaks struck first and never looked back.
Menlo continued to bring the pressure throughout the opening half, creating several dangerous scoring opportunities. Diego Ruiz was active in the attacking third, generating multiple attempts, while Liam Brittenstam nearly doubled the advantage with back-to-back chances, including a strike that rattled the crossbar. Harnoor Sidhu also tested the Otters' goalkeeper as Menlo looked to build on its early lead. Despite the opportunities on both sides, the Oaks carried their 1-0 advantage into the break.
The second half belonged to the Menlo defense. With Monterey Bay pushing forward in search of an equalizer, Vebjorn Madshus came up huge between the posts, collecting six saves to keep the Otters off the scoreboard. The Oaks continued to threaten offensively through Tim Schwarz, Enrico Ehret and Portillo, while the back line battled through wave after wave of Monterey Bay pressure. The Otters made one final push in the closing minutes, but Menlo refused to break. When the final whistle sounded, the Oaks had completed a massive 1-0 upset, secured their fourth shutout of the season and officially punched their ticket to the CCAA postseason for the first time in program history!
Up Next: Postseason Bound!
The #5-seeded Oaks will head to Cardinale Stadium in Seaside,CA on Sunday, November 1, at 12 pm for a rematch against #13 Cal State Monterey Bay. With a spot at the CCAA Championship final site at Cal Poly Pomona on the line, Menlo will look to prove that Thursday's historic victory was only the beginning. The Oaks are ready for the big stage!
