SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sacramento State held a 1-0 lead and was level 2-2 through 60 minutes but No. 16 Cal Poly went ahead and added a late insurance goal for a 4-2 win on Saturday at Hornet Field.

Sacramento State (6-10-2, 3-6-1 Big West) needed a win and a UC Davis loss or tie on Saturday to qualify for the Big West Tournament. The Aggies lost 1-0 at home against No. 17 UC Santa Barbara but the Hornets couldn't get past the Mustangs to extend their season.

"It's always tough when the season ends," Sacramento State head coach Michael Linenberger said. "I was pleased with my group today. I thought even after Cal Poly got the fourth goal to pretty well seal the game we kept working hard and fighting. There was some great character shown by my guys down the stretch."

Cal Poly (10-3-5, 5-1-4 Big West) capitalized on three key Hornet errors to score their first three goals. On the other end of the field senior goalkeeper Wade Hamilton made it stand up, making eight saves with several superb stops to preserve his team's lead.

Sacramento State had 10 shots on goal in the game while allowing just eight. The overall shot count was 19-14 Cal Poly but the Hornets had more of the dangerous chances, especially in the second half.

The first half was one of the more exciting halves of soccer you will ever see with each team scoring twice and both converting penalty kicks. The Hornets took the lead in the 20th minute, with seniors Cesar Mendoza and Isaac Flores connecting passes through the Mustang defense to redshirt freshman Brad Bumgarner, who beat Hamilton on the breakaway.

Cal Poly jumped on the first critical Hornet mistake to tie the game in the 34th minute. A bad pass sent backwards by Sacramento State was stolen by Cal Poly senior Chase Minter who, similar to Bumgarner, had a clean break on goal and was able to finish.

The half got really crazy in the last two minutes. The Hornets were first called for a foul in the box in the 44th minute and Minter buried the PK. Exactly one minute later, Cal Poly had a handball in its box and Hornet sophomore Cylus Sandoval converted to level the score at 2-2.

The Hornets had 10 total shots, with six on goal, and seven corner kicks in the second half but could not beat Hamilton again. Cal Poly found its game-winning goal in the 61st minute as the Hornets failed to clear atop their box and George Grote fed Matt LaGrassa for a finish to the far post.

With Sacramento State pressing forward, Cal Poly added an insurance goal in the 86th minute when Ruben Duran sent a ball from deep in his own end and connected with Ishmail Seremba, who outran the Hornet defense and put in a shot off a lunging save attempt from sophomore James Del Curto.

The Hornet keeper had some big saves himself to keep the game close, finishing with four stops. Minter led all players with six shots, placing three on goal, while Sandoval put three of his four shot attempts on goal for the Hornets.

After neither team earned a corner kick in the first half the two sides combined for 12 corners in the second half. Each side also had 10 shots in the second half.

Seniors Flores, Mendoza, and Brad Kellogg were honored prior to their final home game. The Hornets lose three quality players but return a squad that will be predominately made up of seniors and juniors next year, with one of the largest senior classes the program has featured.

"I thought all year that maybe we were a year away with a young team full of sophomores and juniors," Linenberger said. "I think you win with (big groups of) juniors and seniors, and we will be full of juniors and seniors next year. I'm excited for the group we have returning."