The win improved the Hornets to 1-3 on the season and 1-1 in Big Sky Conference games. The victory also snapped the team’s 19-game road losing streak and gave the squad its first win after trailing following three quarters since 2002.

The Eagles (1-4, 1-1) led 20-7 following a 5-yard rush from Toke Kefu with 14:54 left in the fourth quarter. Sacramento State’s Marcel Marquez was intercepted at the Eagle 26-yard line and EWU looked to put the game away on the ensuing drive. Kefu and freshman quarterback Matt Nichols drove the ball to the Sacramento State 39 before junior Brent Webber intercepted Nichols’ pass at the 5-yard line.

With its back against the wall, Sacramento State began a long drive which traveled 95 yards on 17 plays and ate up 8:35. Redshirt freshman Dalen Mason rushed for 27 yards during the drive and also caught a short pass and stretched it into a 23-yard gain to take it inside the Easter red zone. Two rushes by both Mason and Marquez took the ball to the 4 before Marquez found Mauga on the touchdown pass with 3:36 remaining.

Trailing 20-14, the Hornets kicked deep and the defense responded by holding the Eagles to five yards on their three plays. Ryan Donckers punt pushed Sacramento State to the 19-yard line with 2:42 showing.

Marquez began the final drive with a 48-yard strike to junior Phillip Perry. However, three consecutive incomplete passes forced a 4th-and-10 from the EWU 33. On the play, Marquez found Jason Barnes for an 18-yard gain which kept the drive alive. The pair, who hooked up for 104 yards last week at Montana, connected again for a 14-yard completion in which Barnes was tackled on the 1. Following an Eastern timeout, Hastie received his first carry of the season and found the end zone with 1:46 left.

Eastern Washington began its final drive with consecutive completions but Nichols was intercepted by freshman Craig King at the Sacramento State 24 to seal the game. On the play, the ball deflected off the helmet of an EWU receiver and King, who was making his first career start, alertly corralled it out of the air.

The Eagles scored the game’s first points on a 27-yard field goal from Brett Bergstrom. EWU tacked onto its lead in the second quarter on an 11-yard pass from Nichols to Aaron Boyce with 6:30 left in the period. EWU appeared to be headed to a big halftime lead after driving the ball to the Hornet 1-yard line. However, sophomore Cyrus Mulitalo intercepted Nichols in the end zone with 18 seconds left in the quarter to keep the Hornets close.

Sacramento State came out of the locker room on a mission, moving the opening drive of the half 80 yards on nine plays to make the score, 10-7. Marquez was 5-for-5 for 49 yards during the series and Mauga carried for 19 yards on his first attempt of the season. Mauga capped the drive with a 1-yard score with 11:32 remaining.

Eastern immediately responded with a 22-yard field goal from Bergstrom to stretch its lead to 13-7. The Eagles took the ball to the Hornet 5 but the defense rallied again to force EWU to settle for a field goal.

Overall, Sacramento State tallied a season-best 351 yards on 67 plays. The Hornets rushed for 142, led by 44 from Mason, 38 from Marquez and 33 from Torrell Baker. Marquez also completed 17 passes on 29 attempts for 209 yards. Barnes was the yardage leader with 78 on six grabs while Mason had seven receptions for 49 yards.

Toke Kefu paced EWU with 98 rushing yards on 28 carries. Nichols was 21-of-42 for 329 yards and a score. The redshirt freshman was intercepted three times.

The Hornet defense was paced by Mulitalo. The San Lorenzo, Calif., native tallied a career-high 14 tackles and reached double figures for the third consecutive week. Junior Brett Shelton was also in double figures with 11 stops.

Sacramento State returns home to face Weber State on Sat., Oct. 7, at 6:05 p.m. The game will serve as the University’s Homecoming.

NOTES: The last time Sacramento State won after trailing entering the fourth quarter was on Nov. 16, 2002 against Weber State. In that game, the Hornets trailed 31-23 after three quarters but rallied for a 41-38 victory … The team’s last road win came at Eastern Washington on Oct. 26, 2002 … All three of Sacramento State’s wins in the series against EWU have come in Cheney … Mauga became the first Hornet to rush for a TD and catch a touchdown since Garrett White against Weber State in 2002 … Senior Mitch Lively averaged 47.1 yards per punt, including a 65-yarder which is tied for the fourth-longest in school history … Juan Gamboa remained perfect on extra points this season, raising his total to 6-of-6. He has now made 28 of his last 29 attempts.