Sacramento State men’s soccer to play in Costa Rica

The Sacramento State men’s soccer team will leave Wednesday for a nine-day trip to Costa Rica, where the Hornets will play exhibition matches and participate in community service projects.

The tour, which will include 22 students and six staff members, will be the first international trip by a Hornets’ team in the Division I era dating to 1991.

“We’re excited for the competition, we’re excited for the team-bonding experience, and we’re excited for the extra games and training,” Sac State coach Michael Linenberger said in a release. “We expect to have a very good team next fall, and we’re hoping this helps to give us an extra boost going into our spring season.”

Sac State will play reserve teams from four professional clubs in Costa Rica’s top 12-team Primera Division, including 2015 Apertura champion Saprissa and runners-up Alajuelense.

Although a small country, Costa Rica has been a big player on the world soccer stage. Its national team reached the 2014 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals in Brazil before losing to the Netherlands on penalty kicks.

The Sac State men’s soccer program has saved money from camps for the past 10 years to fund the trip.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Sacramento State men’s soccer to play in Costa Rica."