After going undefeated in their last five games of the spring, the Sacramento State men’s soccer team is ready to rebound from their 2013 campaign.

The 2013 season proved a tough one, as the Hornets went 3-11-4, their lowest win total since 1998 when the team went 0-16-2. Sac State is four years removed from their last NCAA appearance, something that senior Adan Martinez hopes the team can get back to.

“We have a lot of talent to compete for the Big West Championship, and a spot in the NCAA playoff,” Martinez said. “We have a lot of home games, so it is going to be good being in our home environment. If we take advantage of that than we are going to have a pretty good record.”

The Hornets have 13 home games in the upcoming season, which is five more than they had last season. Senior Chimdum Mez is excited to play more home games and give the fans a good experience.

“The fact that we have a lot of home games, we just really want to put on a good show for the crowd, and have a great environment out there,” Mez said.

The Hornets wrapped up their 2014 spring season on April 27th against Sonoma State. Sac State finished their six-game schedule with three wins, two ties and one loss, the only loss came at the hands of a professional team, Sacramento Republic FC.

The loss to Sac Republic was the first game of the season, and the Hornets only had one week of training leading up to the game. Although it was a good test to start out the offseason, it was a good chance for the current Hornets players to play against their former teammates.

Max Alvarez was the first player signed by Republic FC, but former Sac State goalkeeper Bryan Oliver was also signed by the team, and has been training in Las Vegas.

For head coach Michael Linenberger, the team is happy with their progress in the spring season, and he is looking forward to the new players to make a difference in the upcoming season.

“We think that a lot of our young guys that we brought in last fall are starting to grow and mature and understand what college soccer and college life are all about,” Linenberger said.

After losing seniors Almog Strikowski and Isaac Ikyurav, coach Linenberger had the difficult task of finding quality forwards and midfielders that were capable of taking over for the two, who were major components to the 2013 season. Strikowski played in all 18 games, and Ikyurav was tied for second on the team with five points, and had an All-Big West honorable mention.

The Hornets added six players to their 2014 signing class, all of which are from the California area. Linenberger expressed the differences between high school and college soccer, and he is optimistic that the upcoming season with younger players in tow, will lead to a more productive season.

“I think our younger guys are starting to figure it all out and understand it,” Linenberger said. “It’s a much more physical game, and it’s a faster and more competitive, and stakes are on the line every single game.”

What are the expectations for the Hornets this season? According to Mez, they are as high as always.

“The expectations are always the same,” Mez said. “We want to go for the Big West Championship. That’s always the main goal.”