SAN LUIS OBISPO – A 39th-minute penalty from sophomore forward John Chronopoulos stood as the difference on Sunday afternoon as the Cal Poly men’s soccer program chalked up its third successive victory with a 1-0 dispatching of Massachusetts at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.

Junior goalkeeper Wade Hamilton added five saves for Cal Poly (3-1-0), which hasn’t allowed a goal at home in two matches and 180 minutes this season. The Mustangs, whose three-game streak is their lengthiest since winning five successive early last season, outshot UMass 15-13.

"To get our first shutout of the season is a testament to our back four and, obviously, Wade,” interim head coach Phil Ruskin said. “It’s always a positive when you take advantage of an opportunity to get two home wins in a weekend."

In the first matchup between the two sides since a 4-2 Minutemen win in Amherst on Aug. 29, 1997, Cal Poly produced six shot attempts inside the opening 37 minutes and twice forced saves from UMass goalkeeper Ryan Buckingham.

In the 39th minute, however, Chronopoulos was taken down in the UMass penalty area by Minutemen junior midfielder Danny Belza. Chronopoulos stepped to the penalty spot and fired low toward the right post for his first goal of the season.

Chronopoulos also became the seventh different Mustang to score in just four games this season.

At the opposite end of Spanos Stadium, Hamilton turned UMass away three times inside the opening 24 minutes of the second half en route to lowering his season goals against average to 1.50. Hamilton has allowed just one goal in his last 206 minutes of action.

Chronopoulos nearly doubled Cal Poly’s lead in the 75th minute, breaking free from a defender 10 yards out from the left post. Buckingham, however, dove to get a hand on the shot.

Cal Poly closes its three-match home stand at Spanos Stadium when welcoming first-time opponent Grand Canyon for a 7 p.m. match on Thursday, Sept. 11.

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