SSU Finishes Regular Season with 9-5 Win Over Nevada

The Sonoma State Seawolves defeated the University of Nevada-Reno Wolfpack on Sunday, April 13th at John Sala Field in Reno, NV. The win marked the final game of the regular season for SSU, leaving them with a 7-5 record on the season and a 4-2 record in WCLL, good for the #3 seed entering the WCLL playoffs. 

Standout performances from the game include junior Nick Frangione (4G, 1A), junior Captain Dylan Hardy (7GB, 6 caused turnovers), sophomore Riley Corcoran (12 saves, 5 GA), freshman Matt McCurdy (2G), senior Devin Schulte (2G, 2GB) and junior Dustin Smith (1G, 2A, 3GB).

In the first quarter, both teams played stingy defense throughout, limiting scoring opportunities for both teams. Sonoma would ultimately score first on a slow break opportunity, with midfielder Dustin Smith feeding attackman (and roommate) Nick Frangione for a goal. The Sonoma defense held Nevada scoreless after 1, leaving the score 1-0 going into the second quarter.  

In the second, it was Smith to Frangione once again on a nice back handed feed that set Frangione up for his signature right handed rip on the right side. Nick Frangione would go on to have a part in the first 5 points of the game for the Seawolves, adding to his breakout campaign this season. The Seawolves scored their next goal on great ball movement, with Frangione setting up Devin Schulte for a turn around jump shot on the crease to bring the score to 3-0. The Seawolves and the Wolf Pack would trade goals later in the second, with Frangione completing his hat trick before the first half concluded. A couple of outside shots from Nevada snuck by the keeper late in the quarter, leaving the score 4-3 in favor of Sonoma going into halftime. 

To open the second half, both defenses seemed to have the advantage, as neither team was able to get much going offensively. UNR scored their lone goal of the third quarter on a 15 yard shot from their top midfielder, Oliver Van Brocklin. To no surprise, it was Frangione again with a right alley dodge who completed the scoring for the Seawolves in the third quarter, leaving the score 5-4 entering the fourth. 

In the final quarter, the Seawolves offense emerged with four goals, all coming from their midfielders. First it was senior Devin Schulte on a right alley dodge who beat the goalie with a well placed shot from in tight that found the back of the net. Just minutes later, freshman Matt McCurdy capitalized on scooping up a loose ball on the offensive side and placed a righty jump shot off-stick high to beat the Nevada defense. McCurdy scored the next goal as well, dodging hard from X and executing a perfect inside roll to give the Seawolves an 8-4 lead. Junior Dustin Smith would cap off the scoring for the Seawolves, utilizing his speed to beat his man behind the cage for a nice finish as he crossed goal line extended. 

Throughout the duration of the contest, the Noma defense allowed only 17 shots on cage, with goalkeeper Riley Corcoran recording 12 saves (70.6% save percentage). Close defender Dylan Hardy had one of his best games of his already stellar season, forcing 6 turnovers, recording 7 ground balls, and being a huge factor in the Seawolves 27/29 (93.1%) clearing rate, their best rate of the season. 

The Seawolves will now have a rematch against #6 seed UNR this weekend, this time at home, when they host the first round of the WCLL playoffs at Rancho Cotate High School in Rohnert Park on Saturday, April, 19th. The game will start at 2pm, and the winner will advance to the WCLL final four at Los Gatos High School, with an automatic bid to the MCLA national tournament in Round Rock, Texas on the line. 

We look forward to seeing all of our families, fans, and alumni for our final home game of the 2025 season. 

Pictured above: Junior defensive midfielder Kaleb Kuska takes it across the midline himself after recovering a ground ball on the defensive end.