SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Junior
Sean Battistessa finished with a three-point day, including scoring the eventual game-winning the 83rd minute on Wednesday afternoon, as the Sacramento State men's soccer team defeated UC San Diego by a 3-2 score in a Big West-Pac-12 crossover match at Hornet Soccer Field.
Buoyed by goals from
Gio Ceja and
Zac Giles in addition to Battistessa's strike, the Hornets improved to 4-7-2 overall on the year, snapping a brief two-match skid and gaining a result for the fifth time in the last seven matches.
The Tritons, who received goals from Sean Ueda and Adam Dunbar, fell to 6-5-2 overall on the year.
Aside from Battistessa's game-winner in the final 10 minutes, the goals came in bunches on Wednesday afternoon as each team scored five minutes apart in the first half and then went 32 seconds between goals early in the second half to make it 2-2 in the 52nd minute.
Sacramento State was able to then break the deadlock in the 83rd minute when
Hiroshi Yang had a shot blocked by a UCSD defender in the box, but the ball was unable to be cleared, caroming right back to the feet of Yang. The Hornet junior the drove deeper toward the end line before sneaking a cross right underneath a diving Triton goalkeeper and onto the feet of a waiting unmarked Battistessa, who tapped it in with his left for the 3-2 lead.
UC San Diego had another shot by Sean McTague go high and added a pair of corner kick opportunities in the final five minutes, but came up empty.
The score was Battistessa's sixth goal of the year, setting a new single-season career high, while Yang collected his third assist of the campaign to go with his four goals.
It was the Tritons were broke the seal early in the first half as Ueda tallied her first of the year in the 12th minute off assists from Gavin Allegaert and Adam Dunbar for the 1-0 lead.
Five minutes later, it was Ceja who brought the home side level in the 17th minute, taking passes from Battistessa and
Eli Reyneveld before unleashing a curling shot to the upper right-hand corner for his first goal as a Hornet and tying the match at one apiece.
It stayed that way through the remainder of the first half before both teams set off fireworks early in the second period.
This time, it was Sacramento State finding the back of the net first as Giles and teammate
Ronan Rattigan combined for the 2-1 lead. Ceja started the sequence with a long ball up the middle that got Giles behind the defense where he was immediately met by two Triton defenders. After settling the ball, he was able to find Rattigan streaking up the right side.
Rattigan worked his way around one defender and drove into the box where he drew the attention of two more defenders and the UCSD goalkeeper. The sophomore was able to thread a pass across the top of the six-yard box to Giles, who was making an unmarked run at the left post where he easily finished with his left foot for the 2-1 lead.
The goal was Giles' sixth of the year while Rattigan tallied his second assist, setting the stage for Battistessa's late-match heroics.
Sacramento State finished with a 16-14 advantage in shot attempts, putting eight on frame to six for UC San Diego. Yang ended the day with a match-high five attempts, putting two on goal, while Giles, who entered the week leading The Big West in shots, finished with three more.
The Hornets close out the week with another home match on Saturday (Oct. 17) at 4 p.m., welcoming UC Irvine to Northern California as Big West play continues. The Anteaters also won their crossover match, defeating San Diego State, 1-0, at home.
