SACRAMENTO -- Deadlocked in a scoreless draw and the clock ticking down, Cal Poly and Sacramento State went toe-to-toe in nailbiter before the Mustangs struck for the game-winner in the final 10 minutes, lifting them to a 1-0 victory over the Hornets on Sunday afternoon at Hornet Soccer Field.
The loss dropped Sacramento State to 0-3-1 overall on the season, while Cal Poly won its second straight — and the fifth in the last six meetings in the series — to improve to 2-2 overall for the year.
After controlling possession at a 56 percent clip for most of the first half, but managing just two shots against the Mustang net, the Hornets quickly put pressure on Cal Poly as Kalista Hardy forced keeper Mary Norman into a save on the first attempt by either team out of the break.
Goalkeeper Mia Shalit returned the favor at the other end and Sacramento State quickly countered as Jordan Goularte and Jasmyne Dunn each had shots turned away by Cal Poly defenders sandwiched around one of the team's season-high six corner kicks on the day.
The Hornets' defense then turned away two Mustang shots and a third sailed wide before Cal Poly was able to capitalize and score the match's first goal. Emily Lieber made a run down the right side, getting around a defender and finding space at the end line, centering a pass to teammate Kylie Rojas, who tapped in the ball for her first goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.
Dunn, who finished with a team-high two shot attempts, had another chance sail high with just over three minutes to play, but the Hornets could not muster another comeback as the horn sounded.
Shalit finished with three saves on the day, bringing her season total to 29 over the season's first four matches — which leads the Big Sky Conference, as do her 7.25 saves per match, as of press time.
Sacramento State closes out its season-long three-match homestand on Thursday (Sept. 1), hosting Causeway rival UC Davis at 4 p.m. The Hornets then head up Interstate 80 to take on Nevada in Reno on Sunday (Sept. 4) to close out the week.
