MORAGA, Calif. -- Sophomore Dominic Vegaalban finished with a goal and an assist while three teammates also dented the back of the net on Thursday afternoon, helping lift the Sacramento State men's soccer team to it's biggest win in nearly three years, routing host Saint Mary's by a 4-1 score.
The victory is the second straight for the Hornets, who moved to 2-1 overall on the season and, in the process, snapped a six-match winless streak against the Gaels, winning for the first since since a 2-0 triumph in 2015 on the road.
Saint Mary's, which had won the last four straight against Sacramento State entering Thursday, fell to 1-2 overall.
Thursday's four-goal outburst by the Hornet offense marked a season high and the most by Sacramento State since a 4-2 win over San Francisco at home on Sept. 19, 2019. It also marked the team's highest goal total in a road contest since a 5-4 overtime victory at CSU Bakersfield on Aug. 31, 2018.
Sophomore Ali Sasankhah put the Hornets on the board first in the 21st minute, putting home his first career goal to the lower left corner for the 1-0 lead.
That score held until the half before Sacramento State opened the floodgates and extended its advantage. Junior Austin Wehner netted his first goal as a Hornet just 83 seconds in the second half off a pass from Vegaalban for the 2-0 advantage, and Vegaalban made it a three-goal lead in the 69th minute, slotting home a pass from Gaelen Filtzanidis for his second of the year.
Saint Mary's quickly pulled one of the goals back just over 90 seconds later when Christian Engmann found the back of the net to break up the shutout, but Christo Cervantes took a pass from Michael Gonzalez and slotted home his first of the year with just under seven minutes remaining en route to the three-goal victory.
Sacramento State held a 15-8 shot advantage, putting seven of those attempts on frame while limiting the Gaels to just three shots on goal — two of which were turned away in net by goalkeeper Edger Guerra, who was making his Hornet debut after redshirting the 2021 campaign.
Vegaalban led all players with five shot attempts — putting three on goal — while Wehner and Francisco Magana finished with two apiece.
Thursday's nine corners for Sacramento State were also a season high and the most since putting up the same number against Cal State Fullerton on Oct. 23 of last year.
Riding the wave of two straight victories, the Hornets return home on Sunday (Sept. 4), welcoming Pacific to Hornet Soccer Field for a Noon kickoff and the beginning of a run of three straight home matches against West Coast Conference foes. Please note the time change from the previously advertised 1 p.m. start.
