SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Sacramento State senior forward Chimdum Mez scored his seventh goal of the season but UC Santa Barbara built a 4-0 lead through the first 50 minutes of the game and finished with a 4-1 victory on Wednesday night.

With seven goals this season Mez has equaled the ninth-highest single season goals total in Sacramento State program history. Wednesday was the first time that season that Mez scored but the Hornets took a loss.

Sacramento State (4-9-2, 2-4-0 Big West) had a chance to take a very early lead as senior Andres Garcia had a shot from the top of the box in the third minute beat Gaucho keeper Brandon Berke but hit off the crossbar and out of play. UC Santa Barbara (7-6-2, 3-2-1 Big West) took the lead on a goal by Andy Perez on a close finish off a cross in the 17th minute.

Mez nearly brought the Hornets even in the 18th minute but his backward header dribbled just wide of the UCSB goal. The Gauchos made it a 2-0 game in the 25th minute on a spin and shot in the box by Axel Mendez. The home team could have extended the lead late in the half if not for a superb diving save in the 45th minute by Hornet goalkeeper James Del Curto.

UCSB pulled away with two quick goals to start the second half, with Mendez scoring again just 31 seconds into the half on a 1 v. 1 finish past Del Curto. Four minutes later, Duncan Backus scored on a well-played ball to the far post on a free kick from just outside the Hornet box.

Mez got one goal back in the 56th minute after sophomore Preston Davis stole a pass and fed the senior for a clean break on goal and a finish past the challenging Berke. The Hornets continued to fight down the stretch and had five shots in the second period but couldn't find the net again.

UC Santa Barbara had a 10-2 shot advantage in the first half and had seven shots on goal for the game. The goal scored by Mez was Sacramento State's only shot on goal in the game as Berke picked up the win without making a save. UCSB had a 6-2 edge in corner kicks in a game played before an announced crowd of 2,095.

The Hornets turn their attention to the big Causeway Classico matchup on Saturday against UC Davis, facing their rival at 7 p.m. at Bonney Field. The Aggies improved to 6-1-8 overall and 4-1-1 in the Big West with a 1-0 win Wednesday night at Cal Poly.