SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Senior goalkeeper Mac Learned finished with a season-high seven saves to put his name in the record books and Sacramento State unleashed double-digit shot attempts for the second time this season, but host San Diego State eked out a 1-0 victory on Friday night in the first meeting between the two programs in nearly 20 years.
Learned's seven saves surpassed his previous season high of six set against California back on Aug. 25 and gave him 140 for his career, moving him into sole possession of 10th place on the school's all-time list past Ryan Duncan, who had 137 stops from 1997-98. He entered the night ranked second in the Big West Conference in overall saves and led the league in saves per match (4.33 spg).
Four of Learned's stops came in the opening 45 minutes of the match as both defenses stood tall to pitch a shutout in the first half. The first came in the 32nd minute, punching away an attempt from about 18 yards out and that was followed by a smothering stop on the doorstep just inside the six in the 38th minute. He also added another diving stop at the right post with just over two minutes to play.
Meanwhile, the Hornet offense got off to a stellar start, taking the first five shot attempts and six of the first seven, highlighted by two apiece off the foot of Donovan Sessoms and Vincent Padilla. At the other end, San Diego State thought it had taken the lead in the 36th minute, but Austin Brummett was ruled offside, erasing the score.
Sacramento State, which has had each of its last three matches decided by a single goal, had to withstand some pressure from the Aztecs to start the second half, including another diving save by Learned in the 54th minute before San Diego State finally found the back of the net.
The initial shot by Beto Apolinar was saved again by Learned, but Ferran Florencio Catala was in the right place at the right time, leaping to volley home the rebound for his first of the year and a 1-0 lead.
From that point on, both teams managed four shots apiece and the Hornets had two corners to one for the Aztecs, but neither team could come up with a score.
San Diego State finished with an 18-11 advantage in shots for the match while both teams ended the night with eight corners apiece. Sessoms finished with a team-high three shots for Sacramento State, standing as one of four Hornets with multiple shot attempts for the match.
Following three straight matches on the road, Sacramento State finally returns home for the first time since the regular season opener on Sept. 12, hosting San Francisco at 4 p.m. in the second half of a doubleheader with the Hornet women's team.
