Sept. 13, 2009

Final Stats |  Action Photos 

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - On a night Santa Clara University celebrated its storied soccer tradition, it was true freshman Erik Hurtado bringing the crowd to its feet with a brilliant goal in the 76th minute and classmate Larry Jackson assuring the Broncos of a shutout victory by denying a late breakaway as Santa Clara defeated Sacramento State 1-0.

Santa Clara (2-2-0) was commemorating the 20th anniversary of the program's 1989 NCAA National Championship Sunday night - the first of SCU's 18 men's soccer teams to qualify for NCAA Tournament play.

The alums watched Hurtado break a scoreless tie with 14 minutes remaining, deceiving a pair of Hornet defenders to create a one-on-one opportunity with the goalie before finding the back-left corner of the net from 10 yards out.

"It takes a little bit of individual inspiration," said Santa Clara Head Coach Cameron Rast. "Games can be decided in a number of different ways and tonight the difference was the inspiration of a player who is the very definition of a pure forward."

It was the first collegiate goal for Hurtado, a 2009 graduate of Westview High School in Beaverton, Oregon and the state's reigning Class 6A "Player of the Year."

Santa Clara was able to hold on for the win at a rain-soaked field at Buck Shaw Stadium thanks to the play of Jackson, the team's true freshman keeper.

Sacramento State (3-1-1) - coming off a 2-1 victory over 15th-ranked USF Friday night in San Francisco - generated a breakaway with six minutes remaining, only to have Jackson knock away the Hornets' last chance at evening the game.

"Larry came up big tonight," said Rast. "This is a sign of things to come for him. There was a moment when this game could have gotten away from us but he wouldn't let that happen. "

Rast and his young team now prepare to face Stanford and No. 11 California this week in the Bay Area Classic. Stanford visits Buck Shaw Stadium Thursday, September 17 at 7 p.m. For tickets or more information call 408-554-4660.