Spencer Page
Senior Staff Writer
The UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) men’s soccer team matched up with central coast rival Cal Poly San Luis Obispo last Sunday, Oct. 6, marking another traditional Gauchos vs. Mustangs match. The game witnessed a NCAA season men’s soccer record number in attendance with 9,985 students, faculty, and fans.
The Gauchos dominated time of possession for the majority of the match, yet struggled to create chances for scoring. In the first half, only one of their shots was on target. However, the second half came with more action as UCSB goalkeeper David Mitzner made many crucial saves to keep the game scoreless, and Gaucho attackers relentlessly pressed on the Mustangs defense. The game saw many chances and on-target shot attempts for the Gauchos. Despite the effort shown on both sides, both teams came up empty in a 0-0 tie.
This game is much more than a regular season game for both schools — it was a heavyweight bout that perfectly defines one of the most heated competitions in NCAA Division 1 soccer. The annual matchup is best known as the Blue-Green rivalry, beginning in 2007, when underdog Cal Poly upset reigning National Championship winner UCSB. It has quickly evolved into one of the most highly anticipated matchups in all of college soccer.
The rivalry is best known for two parts: the tightly contested games and the audience atmosphere. Since the beginning of the rivalry, aside from a 4-1 W rout by UCSB in 2017 there has only been one game that resulted in a win by more than two goals. A vast majority of matches have resulted in draws or victories by a single goal. While the record has been in UCSB’s favor for the past five years, historically the rivalry between the two teams has been extraordinarily close.
What truly makes the rivalry so special and iconic is the electric atmosphere that surrounds it. No matter where the game is held, the stands are always packed as Blue-Green rivalry games frequently rank as the highest-attended soccer matches in the NCAA.
Miles Petty, a third-year biochemistry major, has attended all the Blue-Green Rivalry games while at UCSB. “It’s truly the one sporting event I look forward to each and every year, the atmosphere is unlike any other sporting event at UCSB.” Petty told The Bottom Line.
Furthermore, the game features one of the most iconic traditions in college soccer: tortilla tossing. During these matchups, to administration’s dismay, Gaucho fans will sneak tortillas into the stadium and hurl them onto the field during the match, prompting an iconic celebration that defines the rivalry. According to KCPR News, the tradition started with UCSB in the ’90s, with students tossing up tortillas after scoring first. Now, the practice of tossing tortillas frisbee style onto the field has become synonymous with being a Gaucho and encapsulates the unique experience of being a UCSB student..
In a rivalry such as this where each team hates losing more than they even want to win, it’s clear that whenever the Gauchos and Mustangs meet, their games mean more than the two regular season games they’re scheduled as. It’s a rivalry that defines what it means to be a member of each school, igniting the spirits of students in a way that no other sport does and giving every student a reason to have school pride. No matter the outcome of the game, the Blue-Green rivalry delivers an unforgettable experience, year after year.