STANFORD, Calif. — Sacramento State junior forward Donovan Sessoms picked up where he left off last season with his first goal of the year midway through the first half, but the visiting Hornets couldn't keep up with host and No. 13-ranked Stanford on Thursday afternoon, falling to the host Cardinal by a 5-1 score at Cagan Stadium in the season opener for both schools.
Sessoms, who finished with 10 goals and 20 points as a sophomore in 2024, put his side on the scoreboard for the first time in 2025 in the 36th minute after Stanford had scored twice to take an early lead. Sessoms drew a foul deep inside the 18 that went to review and the referee awarded a penalty.
The junior then converted to the lower right side to bring the Hornets to within one.
Following goals in the second and 17th minutes, the Cardinal regained a two-goal advantage just before the end of the half thanks to a tally with 10 seconds remaining, then added goals in the 53rd and 72nd minutes en route to the final score.
Stanford finished with a 25-6 advantage in shots, putting nine on frame while leading the corner kick battle, 5-4.
Sessoms finished with three of the team's six shot attempts, putting two on frame, while
Lucas Gimenez,
Fernando Venegas, and
Amjot Narang added shots. Senior goalkeeper
Andres Rosales got the start and finished with three saves, while
Lucas Bost entered at the half and stopped one shot attempt in the second period.
Sacramento State opens its 2025 home schedule on Sunday (Aug. 24) at 1 p.m., hosting Utah Tech at Hornet Soccer Field.
