PORTLAND, Ore. — Sacramento State freshman Sean Battistessa netted his first career goal to tie the match in the 58th minute while sophomore goalkeeper Lucas Bost had an assist and a key stop on a penalty in the final 10 minutes to help the Hornets forge a 1-1 draw at Portland on Friday night.
The result kept Sacramento State's unbeaten streak alive at five consecutive matches, moving to 3-4-2 overall on the year. The Hornets are 3-0-2 over their last five — all coming against West Coast Conference opponents.
The Pilots, who entered the season 21-1-1 at home over the previous two years, moved to 2-4-3 overall.
Sacramento State fell behind early on a Portland goal in the 13th minute, but the Hornets were able to rally back in the second half despite being limited to just four shots (three on goal) for the match.
Battistessa and Bost teamed up to tie the match in the 58th minute as the latter played a long ball up the field that cleared the Pilots' back line and landed at the feet of a streaking Battistessa.
Battistessa let the ball take a couple bounces before chipping it with his right foot just over the outstretched hands of Pilot goalkeeper Kash Oladapo, rolling it just over the line to knot the match at one apiece.
The sixth different Hornet to score a goal this season, Battistessa became the seventh Sacramento State player to notch their first career point on the year, while Bost became the eighth, notching the first assist by a Hornet goalkeeper since
Edgar Guerra did so against Cal Poly on Oct. 19, 2022.
Bost and the defense then stood tall, with the Sacramento State netminder making three of his four saves in the final 32 minutes, but none bigger that his denial of Portland's Nick Fernandez on a penalty in the 82nd minute, diving to his right to punch the attempt away and keep the match tied.
The Pilots finished with six of the final seven shot attempts and was turned away on three corner kick opportunities before the final horn.
Friday's contest concluded the non-conference portion of the Hornets' schedule as Sacramento State opens Big West Conference play on the road on Wednesday (Oct. 2) at Cal State Bakersfield at 11 a.m. The Hornets then face UC Riverside at home on Saturday (Oct. 5) at 4 p.m.
