SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Senior
Lexi Schroeder scored her fourth goal of the season late in regulation on Saturday afternoon, but the Sacramento State women's soccer team couldn't overcome a hat trick by Cal Poly's Isis Salazar-Ortega as the Mustangs posted a 3-1 victory over the Hornets in the regular season finale for both teams.
Sacramento State finished the year 6-8-5 overall and 2-6-3 in conference play in the first season under head coach
Tim Strader, wrapping up its first year in The Big West by challenging for a spot in the league's postseason championship right up until the final week of play.
Cal Poly improved to 7-7-5 overall and 4-4-3 in league play, clinching its own spot in The Big West Championship with 13 points, finishing in a tie for fifth in the regular season standings along with CSUN.
Salazar-Ortega scored goals in the 22nd, 24th, and 64th minutes to complete the hat trick — all three goals assisted by teammate Kate Nunes.
Schroeder broke up the shutout bid with her third goal of the year in the 84th minute as a corner by
Mia Jackson was headed out of the box by a Mustang defender, but right to the feet of the Hornets' senior. Schroeder settled the clear with her left, took two touches to the outside, before looping a shot that cleared the outstretched arm of the Cal Poly goalkeeper, rang off the right post, and bounced in to cap the scoring.
The goal was Schroeder's first since scoring in a 2-0 win over Cal State Bakersfield on Oct. 10, giving her 10 points on the season — tied with Jackson for the second-most on the team. The three goals tied her single-season career high set last year when she finished with eight points as she wraps up her fourth year in the green and gold with seven goals and seven assists for 21 points.
Junior
Jaety Mandaquit joined Schroeder with a team-high two shot attempts for the contest as Cal Poly held a narrow 11-8 advantage in the category, but the Mustangs put seven of their attempts on frame to just four for the Hornets.
Goalkeeper
Delaney Timmons finished with four saves for Sacramento State.
Sacramento State's six wins matched its total from the 2025 campaign, while the 25 goals scored this year were nine more than last season and the most since the 2019 squad finished with 28 scores.
