SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In a match-up of future Big West Conference rivals, the Sacramento State women's soccer team trailed visiting UC Irvine by just a goal at the half, but the Anteaters tacked on three more in the second half en route to a 4-0 shutout win over the Hornets on Thursday afternoon at Hornet Soccer Field.
After opening the regular season with a pair of shutout victories, Sacramento State lost its second straight match in falling to 2-2 overall. UC Irvine meanwhile, moved above the .500 mark, improving to 2-1-2 overall with the win.
The Anteaters held a 16-5 advantage in shots, putting 10 of those on frame to just three for the Hornets and held possession for nearly 60 percent of the contest. UC Irvine opened the scoring in the just four minutes in and added second-half scored in the 58th, 64th, and 86th minutes — two of those by Kori Pickelle, who notched her second and third goals of the year.
Freshman Sia Bharadwaj led Sacramento State with a pair of shot attempts, while goalkeeper Izzy Palmatier finished with six saves. Palmatier now has 198 saves for her career, moving her past Kimberly Mata (2010, 2012-14) for fifth on the program's all-time list.
Sacramento State has two days to recover before returning to the field on Sunday (Aug. 31) at 11 a.m., hosting Fresno State.
