Sacramento State men’s soccer head coach Mike Linenberger was honored prior to Saturday’s game for his 25 years at Sac State but the game did not go the Hornets way against the Cal Poly Mustangs Saturday.  

The Hornets couldn’t match the energy and the ability of the Mustangs losing 2-1.

“We played with a little more urgency in our game and I thought the second half was very even,” Linenberger said. “But they have a big time goal scorer and we don’t really have a pure goal scorer and it showed.“

Sac State and Cal Poly SLO played to a scoreless tie in the first half. The first goal in the match came in the 63rd minute by Mustangs senior forward Mackenzie Pridham.

The Hornets would answer eight minutes later as freshman defender Andrew Gosselin scored his first career goal in the 71st minute.  

Gosselin scored when freshman defender Javier Munoz corralled a deep lob pass and passed it Gosselin for the open finish to tie the game 1-1. The play was set up by freshman midfielder Ivan Ramirez who took the direct set piece outside Cal Poly’s box.

With 29 minutes left in the match, Sac State and Cal Poly goalies denied multiple chances from offensive attacks. Hornets junior defender Cody Hoster nearly put away the go-ahead goal in the 75th minute, but Mustangs goalkeeper Wade Hamilton made the save.      

The Mustangs would later take the advantage as Pridham scored his 11th goal of the season in the 78th minute. Down a goal, senior forward Isaac Ikyurav almost tied the game but Hamilton came up with another timely save to guarantee the win for the Mustangs.

Linenberger said even though his team lost he was proud of how his team fought in today’s game.

“I’m pleased with the second half, and that’s been kind of our M.O. for the season; we play well in spurts, with a good half or a good quarter of the match,” Linenberger said. “But we have to put together a 90 minute performance to win in this league.”

Sac State will face UC Santa Barbara at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Isla Vista, Calif.