Sacramento State defeated Pacific Union, 20-0, last Sunday in the team’s final tune-up before its Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opener on Sunday, Oct. 1 against San Jose State at Hornet Field. Freshman Zlatan Kuckovic scored five goals and added two assists, while senior Ryan Rhoads added three goals and senior Andrew Tamm tacked on four assists.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Sacramento State and San Jose State were both picked to finish second in the MPSF Preseason Coaches Poll, and in the last two seasons have gone an even 2-2 in head-to-head action. A year ago, the Spartans finished second in the league standings and swept the Hornets, handing Sacramento State its only home loss of the season.

In 2004, Sacramento State had the upper hand, sweeping the Spartans with a 4-3 overtime victory at Hornet Field and a 3-0 shutout in San Jose.

The Spartans are 3-3-1 on the year, including a scoreless tie with 14th-ranked Santa Clara last Friday, and victories over Saint Mary’s, Stanford and Notre Dame de Namur. Sophomore Ed Brand leads the team with two goals, while Hiroki Akiyama and Gavin Wenyon added a goal and an assist apiece.

The rest of conference action takes place at UNLV and New Mexico, with the Rebels (0-6-2) and 14th-ranked Lobos (5-2-2) hosting Air Force (1-6-1) and Denver (4-3-1). UNLV has yet to win a game this season, but sophomore Nicholas Paterson leads the team in scoring with two goals and five assists. New Mexico, defending conference champion and NCAA runner-up, is on a three-match winning streak with victories over Tulsa, American and the College of Charleston.

Air Force earned its first victory of the season last Saturday in dramatic fashion over 23rd-ranked Creighton, 1-0. Junior Chris Mathews scored the game winner just 31 seconds into the second overtime. Denver was on a two-match winning streak before a 2-1 loss to Memphis last week.

HEALTHY JUST IN TIME

In its first eight matches of the season, Sacramento State hasn’t used the same starting more than twice enduring a season with early injuries. But the Hornets have healed just in time with conference play less than a week away.

2005 MAKING A DIFFERENCE

In 2005, Sacramento State brought in the program’s best recruiting class in its history. In their sophomore campaigns, the 2005 class continues to make a significant contributions. Sophomores Jack Jones, David Lopez, Adam Owens, Zach Tuss and Josh Zimbrich have all played critical roles for the Hornets this year.

Jones, who has two goals on the season, has been playing in both the midfield and back line. The Union Mine HS product was also named MPSF Player of the Week on Sept. 5 after a two-goal effort in a 3-2 victory over Valparaiso. Lopez has made six starts in the central midfield for Sacramento State and now has two goals on the year, the first of his career.

Defensively, sophomores Zach Tuss and Adam Owens were named to the all-tournament team at the Cal Legacy Classic. Owens, a 2005 graduate of Jesuit HS, is the only player on the roster to have played in and started all nine matches this season, taking over a starting role in the center of the back. Tuss, another local product out of Natomas HS, has gotten a starting nod in the Hornets’ last two matches and recorded his second career assist last Sunday.

Left-sided midfielder Josh Zimbrich has also worked his way into the starting lineup. A year ago, the 2005 Del Oro HS graduate finished the season with three assists, but Zimbrich’s enhanced playing time has led to two goals and three assists already. In a 3-2 victory over Valparaiso, Zimbrich scored the go-ahead goal before providing the assist on what proved to be the game winner.

UP TOP

Entering 2006, Sacramento State knew depth on the forward line would be an asset to the team. Although injuries have thrown a wrench in the Hornets’ lineup at times, the team has five goal scorers on this year’s roster, including last year’s top producers, seniors Ryan Rhoads and Oscar Sandoval.

In addition, senior Eliot Ricks-Chambers returns from last season. In his second year out of Cosumnes River CC, he already has three goals and two assists to his credit, after ending last season with three starts and three goals in the team’s last three matches. The 2002 Kennedy HS graduate has six goals and two assists in his last nine starts and was also named MPSF Player of the Week twice (Nov. 7, 2005 & Sept. 11, 2006) and to the Soccer America Team of the Week (Nov. 7, 2005). While averaging 1.4 points per match in his last 10 games fro Sacramento State, Rick-Chambers also was a scoring threat in the National Premier Soccer League this summer, putting away eight goals and five assists for the Sacramento Knights, who went onto win the national championship.

With that trio returning, Eli Millan is another option for the forward line. The Foothill HS graduate buried five goals in 2004, including three game winners, but redshirted a year ago. Millan, a junior, already has two goals and two assists this season.

Now add in freshman Zlatan Kuckovic, and Sacramento State has a deep depth chart. The Oakland native played a critical role in the Hornets’ 3-0 victory over Bowling Green, recording a goal and an assist in his first career start.