Game #11: Sacramento State Hornets vs. UNLV Rebels Sunday, Oct. 12, Hornet Soccer Field, 1:30 p.m.
Game #12: Sacramento State Hornets vs. New Mexico Lobos Sunday, Oct. 14, Hornet Soccer Field, 11:00 a.m.
AT A GLANCE The Hornets return home this weekend to kick off the home portion of their Mountain Pacific Sports Federation schedule with contests against the UNLV Rebels and the nationally-ranked New Mexico Lobos. UNLV travels to Sacramento for what will be their first road game since Sept. 9, after playing its last seven games at Peter Johann Memorial Field. The Rebels split in their first weekend of conference play, defeating Air Force, 1-0, in double overtime before falling to Denver, 2-1. Lamar Neagle ranks second in the MPSF in goals (6) and points (14), while Calvin Bailey has amassed three clean sheets in goal. Last season, the Hornets claimed both matchups with the Rebels by an identical score of 2-1, with both games being settled in the second overtime period. The Lobos come into the week with a 6-3-1 record, including a 1-0-1 start in the MPSF, after tying Denver, 1-1, and defeating Air Force, 6-0, at home. New Mexico is currently ranked 24th in both the NSCAA/Adidas Top 25 and the Soccer Times Top 25, and is ranked third in the Far West Region according to the NSCAA. Chris Wright, who had three goals this past weekend and is the reigning MPSF Player of the Week, leads the MPSF with seven goals and 15 points. Mike Graczyk is 6-3-1 in goal with a 0.81 goals against average, which also paces the MPSF. Last season, the Hornets and the then ninth-ranked Lobos battled to a 1-1 tie at Hornet Soccer Field, while New Mexico bested Sacramento State at UNM Soccer Complex, 1-0, in overtime. The Hornets lead the all-time series with UNLV 8-2. New Mexico holds a 7-2-2 lifetime edge over Sacramento State.
HORNETS IN CONFERENCE HOME OPENERS Sacramento State has a 4-10-1 record in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation home openers, dating back to the conference’s formation in 1992. Recently, the Hornets have won three of their last four, winning their home conference openers in 2003-05 before falling to San Jose State last season, 1-0.
HOME SWEET HOME IN THE MPSF
The Hornets have collected a 9-5-2 mark in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation matches held at Hornet Soccer Field during the past three seasons. During this stretch, the Hornets boast a 3-0-0 record against UNLV and 0-1-2 mark against perennial MPSF power New Mexico.
HORNETS FALL IN MPSF OPENER TO SJSU 2-1
Sacramento State fell in their Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opener to the San Jose State Spartans by a score of 2-1 on Sunday, Oct. 7 at Spartan Stadium.
The Spartans struck first, as Ed Murillo-Jimenez came off the bench to score on a deep shot into the upper-right corner of the net in the 37th minute, making the score 1-0 in favor of San Jose State.
The score would remain that way until the second half, as in the 53rd minute Hornet junior Adam Owens took a pass from freshman Fernando Cabadas and bounded a shot off of Spartan ‘keeper Lewis Sweeney for his first career goal, tying the game at 1-1.
San Jose State would have the answer in the 72nd minute, however, as Efrain Burgos Jr. bent a free kick into the net, to account for the game-winning goal.
The Spartans outshot the Hornets 17-11 for the match, including an 11-4 advantage in the second half of play. The Hornets had 10 different players take shots, with Cabadas leading the way with two shots. Sophomore Ryan Kenny posted six saves in goal for the Hornets.
Game #11: Sacramento State Hornets vs. UNLV Rebels
