MEN'S SOCCER OPENS UP MPSF SCHEDULE WITH TRIP TO SAN JOSE STATE

10/3/2007

Game #10: Sacramento State Hornets at San Jose State Spartans
Sunday, Oct. 7, Spartan Stadium, 7 p.m.

AT A GLANCE
    The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation begins league play this weekend, featuring five  conference games including a Sunday matchup between San Jose State and the Hornets. The Spartans are 5-4 on the season, and have outscored their opponents 19-13. San Jose State boasts four players with four goals apiece on the season. Ismael Ibarra leads the charge with four goals and two assists, while Nick Cukar has four goals and an assist. Last season the two teams split their two meetings, with each team winning on the other team’s home pitch. The Spartans defeated the Hornets, 1-0, at Hornet Soccer Field on Oct. 1 on a goal from then freshman Colby Moore. Sacramento State got its revenge in the last game of the season on Nov. 3, a 3-0 victory at Spartan Stadium. Former Hornets Ryan Rhoads and Oscar Sandoval each found the scoring column in the second half, with the final goal coming on an own goal by the Spartans. Then freshman Ryan Kenny posted the shutout for the Hornets, the first clean sheet of his career. San Jose State leads the overall series during the Division I era (1991-pres.), posting a 12-5-2 record against Sacramento State. The two teams are 3-3-0 against each other the past three seasons.

HORNETS CHOP DOWN MENLO COLLEGE 4-1
    Behind a goal apiece from junior brothers Blake and Brady Nunes, Sacramento State posted a 4-1 victory over visiting Menlo College on Sunday, Sept. 30, at Hornet Soccer Field.
    The win marked the Hornets’ first of the season, and the end of an eight-match winless streak.
    Sacramento State controlled the action from the opening kickoff, but was unable to capitalize through the early part of the first half. That changed in the 37th minute, on their 12th shot, as Brady Nunes scored off of a picture-perfect lead pass from freshman Ernesto Carranza to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead they would take into the halftime break.
    The Oaks, who were held without a shot in the first half, were then able to tie the game at 1-1 in the 59th minute, as Paul DeFusco took a solid lead pass from Gus Lopez and hammered it home.
    The score being tied lit a fire back into the Hornets, as in the 66th minute, senior Brandon Baggett issued a brilliant cross from the far sideline, finding Blake Nunes for a diving header and the eventual game-winning goal, making the score 2-1.
    Just three minutes later, in the 69th minute, senior Eli Millan was tackled from behind inside of the penalty area, and Carranza connected on his second penalty kick, and third goal of the season, to increase the cushion to 3-1.
    Carranza was not done for the afternoon, as in the 83rd minute he found freshman Fernando Cabadas on a lead pass and Cabadas connected with his right foot into the left side of the net to account for the final margin of 4-1.
    Carranza ended the day with four points to pace Sacramento State, while Blake Nunes posted a game-high seven shots.
    For the game, the Hornets outshot the Oaks, 27-3, and had 11 corner kicks to Menlo’s two.
    Sacramento State was without head coach Michael Linenberger, who served a one game suspension following a red card caution in last week’s game against UC Davis. Assistant coach Jason Gantt filled in on the Hornets’ sideline.