SACRAMENTO -- Christo Cervantes curled in a corner that deflected off a defender for the go-ahead goal in the 82nd minute and the Sacramento State men's soccer team fought off visiting Loyola Marymount for a 2-1 victory, besting the heat and the Lions in non-conference action on Thursday afternoon at Hornet Soccer Field.
Now unbeaten in their last four, the Hornets improved to 3-1-1 overall on the season, winning for the third time in the last four meetings with LMU and extending their home unbeaten streak to five (4-0-1) dating back to last season.
The Lions, who struck for the equalizer in the 52nd minute, lost their second consecutive contest, falling to 2-2-1 overall.
Sacramento State wasted little time in getting on the board first, needing just over 15 minutes to break the scoreless deadlock. Off a restart, sophomore Alejandro Padilla boomed a right footed ball down the right sideline that was unable to be settled by the Lions' defense and picked up by Francisco Magana just outside the 18.
Magana took one touch to create some space and then poked a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Mitchell Wilson, who dove the opposite way, and across the line for a 1-0 lead. It was Magana's first goal of the season, the fourth of his career, and his first since scoring against UC San Diego on Oct. 16 of last year. His score also made him the seventh different Hornet to find the back of the net in 2022.
The score stayed that way through the remainder of the half until Loyola Marymount was able to break up the shutout with the tying goal in the 52nd minute on a loose ball in the box following a corner kick. The initial flick on goal was punched away by goalkeeper Edgar Guerra right to Dylan Shockey, who headed it out to Marco Byers-Mora at the top of the six, where he volleyed it home with the left foot to tie the match.
Cody Sundquist nearly gave his team the lead soon after Byers-Mora's goal, sending an attempt to the lower right side that was punched away by Wilson's left hand, and Zack Mason had another opportunity in the 72nd minute, spinning a left-footed shot to the right post that nearly spun out of Wilson's hands, but was corralled by the Lion keeper.
Loyola Marymount nearly took the lead in the 74th minute off a free kick from about 22 yards out as Noel Caliskan chipped a shot toward the upper left corner, but Guerra was up to the task, leaping for the two-handed save to keep the match tied.
That set the stage for Cervantes' winner eight minutes later, winning a corner kick from the left side. Cervantes served the ball into the box with Alejandro Padilla in the area, but the corner deflected off the head of Corbin Mercado and past Wilson from point-blank range for the go-ahead score.
Byers-Mora nearly tied the score once again in the 85th minute, missing just wide to the left on a run into the box, and Noel Caliskan had one last chance for LMU in the 86th minute playing a man up after a Sacramento State player was sent off curling an attempt to the left post where Guerra punched it away and the Hornets ran out the clock from there.
The Lions held a 13-11 advantage in shots, putting five on frame to six for Sacramento State. Each team was whistled for 10 fouls, with the Hornets drawing four cards to two for LMU, while each team was awarded six corners.
Magana led his team with three shots, two on frame, as nine different Hornets were credited with attempts. The four saves by Guerra, who was making his third career start, were a career high.
Sacramento State closes out a run of four consecutive matches against West Coast Conference opponents on Sunday (Sept. 11) at Noon, welcoming Gonzaga to Northern California. The Bulldogs, who entered the week at 0-4, posted a 2-0 win over Incarnate Word on Thursday to get into the win column.
