SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sacramento State scored four goals, while Hornet goalkeeper Matt McDougall secured his first shutout of the season in a 4-0 win over visiting Dominican (3-4-1), Thursday afternoon at Hornet Soccer Field.The Hornets picked up their first win of the season after four players netted their first goals of the season.
Sacramento State (1-3-1) outshot the Penguins 17-3, with sophomore Eli Millan recording the first goal of the match in the 27th minute. Sophomore Utodi Madu dribbled down the right sideline, cut in toward goal and served in a cross that Millan headed to the lower left post from six-yards out.
The Hornets had other scoring opportunities in the first half but, did not capitalize until early on in the second half, when junior Andrew Tamm was left open eight-yards out from goal. Senior Patrick Nelle served a ball into the box that Tamm put past Dominican goalkeeper Jeff Leles. It was Nelle’s second assist of the season and he now leads the team with five points.
Modesto, Calif. native Marco Ramirez made the score 3-0 with a shot from 25-yards out in the 73rd minute. The shot beat Leles and struck the left post before heading into the back of the net.
Defender Juan Carlos Cortez, Jr. got into the attack when he unleashed a shot from the right side that curled in over Leles. Cortez along with Madu, Jesse Manton, Ismeal EcheverrÃa, Marcos Mercado and Eric Ortiz patrolled the defensive third of the field for Sacramento State, giving Dominican only one shot on goal.
McDougall finished the game with one save, while Dominican goalkeeper Todd Seech, who played the first 45 minutes, had a match-high six saves. McDougall now has six career shutouts.
Nelle almost added a goal in the final seconds when his shot went just wide of the net. Nelle and Ramirez had a match-high four shots each.
The Hornets will next play at UC Davis at 1 p.m. on Sunday. They will return to Hornet Soccer Field for a Mountain Pacific Federation match against San Jose State at 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 8.
