The Sacramento State men’s soccer team took another step backward this weekend as they lost both their matches in the Gold Rush Classic hosted by Fresno State.

The Hornets (2-5-2) lost to Gonzaga University 3-0 Sunday afternoon and began their weekend by dropping the program’s first-ever meeting against Alabama A&M, 2-0 on Friday.

After starting the season 2-2-1 the Hornets are in the middle of a four game winless streak and have not scored a goal in 356 minutes of play, a drought that dates back to Sac State’s loss at Cal Poly on Sept. 12.

“Not only was (the result) disappointing, but I’m more disappointed and concerned with our performance,” head coach Michael Linenberger said.In the 22nd minute Gonzaga took the lead for good when Kari Arnason received a cross and finished from five yards out to make the score 1-0.

According to Linenberger, after that goal was scored, the team seemed to loose its desire.

“We came in the first 20 minutes and we played quite well but as soon as we gave up that goal our whole mentality on the field changed,” Linenberger said. “We got away from our game plan and started doing individual things and we were in a bit of disarray for a while.”

Arnason would score another goal in the 32nd minute and add an assist on Gonzaga’s third and final goal in the 68th minute.

Against Alabama A&M the Hornets faced a different style from what they’re use to seeing in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

A&M showcases a lineup primarily made up of African-born players whose style of soccer is more offensive-minded and more creative than what Sac State has seen so far.

“It was a new environment for us and a new experience for us,” Linenberger said. “I don’t think we dealt very well with it.”-

Keston Lewis of A&M scored both goals for the Bulldogs, the first coming in the 43rd minute and the second in the 60th minute to put the game out of reach.”We have been shutout the last three games in a row,” Linenberger said. “However, we have created good chances in all three of those games. Not enough chances, but we have created good chances.”

Two things that may be lacking on this Hornet team is chemistry and experience. The Hornets return only four starters from last season’s squad and have 16 first-year players on the team, including 11 true freshmen and one red-shirt freshman.

Two players who did not return to the Hornets were All-MPSF selections. Senior forward David Fraser (First-team-MPSF) and sophomore defender Utodi Madu (Honorable mention-MPSF) are not a part of this year’s squad.

“We had a couple of academic issues … a couple of team conduct issues where we had to dismiss players from the team. We had one or two guys quit for various reasons,” Linenberger said, failing to mention any names.

The offseason began with the head coach wanting to add five or six recruits to his squad. But as dismissals began to mount, five or six turned into 13, including four junior college transfers.

The Hornets will try to turn their luck around Friday in their MPSF opener at San Jose State (2-1-1) at 7 p.m.

After five-straight road games Sac State will finally return to Hornet Soccer Field at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday to take on the 10th-ranked University of Santa Barbara Gauchos (5-0-1).