As the crisp autumn air set in on Saturday, Oct. 11, the Sacramento State men’s soccer team looked for their first Big West Conference win against the University of California, Riverside.
With the floodlights illuminating UC Riverside Soccer Stadium in the 18th minute, the Hornets looked to gain the upper hand with an opening attempt on goal in transition.
Junior forward Donovan Sessoms received a pass from sophomore forward Sean Battistessa just short of the centerline. Reaching out with his left foot, Sessoms tried to control the errant pass as Highlanders swarmed him. As the ball kicked off Sessom’s foot, a Highlander forward sent the ball just shy of the box up to senior Highlander forward Wes Hastings.
Hastings took a touch off his left foot, as he bounced off junior defender Nick Strangio. Hustling to the outer edge of the box, Hastings sent a cross to the open freshman Highlander forward Eric Martinez.
Martinez planted his feet, settling the pass as he took a step forward looking to shoot. Shuffling the ball to his right foot, Martinez slid a shot towards the goal, sending the ball to the bottom left corner.
Even with senior goalkeeper Andres Rosales raising his hands in frustration, the Hornets found themselves down a goal early in Big West play yet again.
“Obviously, we aren’t happy the way we start games,” head coach Michael Linenberger said. “We go down early in the majority of our games.”
Here is that first goal from UCR. #hornets pic.twitter.com/vGxRi6nkLr
— Tamer Bohatch (@TamerBohatch) October 13, 2025
The Hornets’ fate did not change as the game went on. Just over a minute later, the Highlanders kept pressure on the Hornets again.
As a throw-in was sent into the right side of the pitch, the Highlanders crossed the ball to the center of the box. This cross was directed away from danger only for it to be sent right back in, deflecting off a scrum and landing in the lap of the Highlander graduate student center back Jakob Schnitzler.
Schnitzler took a touch and sent a rocket that was deflected into the bottom right corner past an outstretched Rosales. The Highlanders stretched their lead to two goals early in the match.
The second goal from UC Riverside comes just a minute later. #hornets pic.twitter.com/nqNEtj4hyH
— Tamer Bohatch (@TamerBohatch) October 12, 2025
“We are trying to chase the game all the time. This is difficult to do; it is physically draining, emotionally draining and mentally draining,” Linenberger said. “We’re in a bad rut of starting games slow.”
The Hornets finished the first half with zero shots on goal.
“We have too many players that are either passing up opportunities to shoot or when they do shoot, they don’t hit the target,” Linenberger said. “This is something we continue to work on every day in training, and we are not good enough yet.”
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The Hornets looked to capitalize on their history of strong second halves after the lackluster opening 45 minutes.
Even with this intention, the majority of the Hornets were caught in the Highlanders’ half in the 55th minute. The ball was swung out to the right wing as the counter attack ensued, leading to two Highlanders getting past the Hornet defenders.
Battling back into the play, Strangio slid in an attempt to block the cross from Martinez to the center of the box, but to no avail. Hastings was left alone in front of goal and struck the ball into the bottom right corner, acting as a dagger to the chances of a Hornet comeback.
“We don’t make our opponent work hard enough to create chances,” Linenberger said. “We have to continue doing a better job of eliminating simple mistakes that lead to good chances for our opponent.”
Third and final Highlander goal of the night. #hornets pic.twitter.com/9zCp3jlanD
— Tamer Bohatch (@TamerBohatch) October 12, 2025
The best chance for the Hornets to spark any semblance of a comeback came less than five minutes later from Sessoms. Sessoms was given a freekick off a foul against sophomore midfielder Vincent Padilla just outside the right side of the box. Blasting a kick over the Highlander wall, Sessoms curved the shot to the bottom right corner only for it to be swallowed by the Highlander keeper.
Best chance for the Hornets by Sessoms in the second half. #hornets pic.twitter.com/OLWVJ1LQij
— Tamer Bohatch (@TamerBohatch) October 12, 2025
As this chance came and went, so did the game.
The Hornets garnered a total of eight shots, with four of them finding the target. This marks the Hornets’ sixth game of the season being shut out. They look to turn around this misfortune at home against Cal Poly Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 3 p.m.
